The first state flower was an orchid. If you’re thinking about Hawaii, guess again. This orchid was adopted long before Hawaii was even a territory.
Americans were excitedly awaiting the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. It was a tremendous opportunity for the proud young nation to show off its bounty and dreams.
States and territories were invited to adopt floral emblems to represent them at the Fair. “What a great idea!” many people thought.
Minnesotans were first to oblige, adopting a lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) on February 5, 1893. A week later, Oklahoma proclaimed mistletoe as its state flower.
There were just two problems. Mistletoe sports berries, not flowers, while the flower Minnesotans adopted doesn’t grow in Minnesota! Ten years later, Minnesotans adopted a native lady’s slipper, Cypripedium reginae.
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - 
