New Hampshire’s State Flowers

The purple, or common, lilac became an official New Hampshire symbol only after one of the biggest state flower battles ever. Politics played as big a role as natural history, perhaps bigger.

The lilac isn’t native to New Hampshire, or even to North America. But New Hampshire may be the first state in which lilacs were grown.

New Hampshire’s first lilacs were planted in the town of Portsmouth in 1690, long before the United States even existed. They had been brought over from England. Lilacs still bloom at the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, which now belongs to the State of New Hampshire.

The purple lilac became known as the flower of the home. In New Hampshire, it blooms in every town, village and city and on many farms. Rochester, New Hampshire, is known as the Lilac City. The lilac is the flower that school children used to bring to their teachers. The hardy shrub is symbolic of the hardy character of New Hampshire residents.

The Battle Begins

The lilac was promoted as state flower by two sisters, Mrs. Marietta C. Wright and Mrs. Josephine A. Joslin of Etna and Surry, two of New Hampshire’s tinier towns. On their behalf, Representative Charles B. Drake introduced a bill to name the lilac New Hampshire’s state flower on January 9, 1919.

Other legislators then filed bills championing the wood lily, water lily, goldenrod, and pasture rose. They were all dismissed, and a new bill was submitted to name the apple blossom the state flower!

Many agriculturists felt the apple blossom would advertise New Hampshire’s apple industry. But some people reportedly objected to the apple blossom because it had already been adopted by Michigan and Arizona. (Today, it represents Michigan and Arkansas.) There were also fears that the apple crop would be injured if people picked too many apple blossoms.

It was the prohibition era, when alcohol was illegal. Some people regarded the apple blossom as a symbol of hard cider. There were even concerns that if the apple blossom was adopted, people might not even be allowed to smell it!

Still another flower, the trailing arbutus, or Mayflower, was voted down as the lilac and apple blossom battled each other. Later, the buttercup was discussed, then dropped.

Farmers wished their farms were clear of pasture roses and buttercups both, partly for political reasons. For example, they noted that buttercups are yellow, a color often equated with cowardice.

Three Finalists

The Senate was entirely opposed to the apple blossom, but couldn’t agree on another flower. Finally, the names of three flowers—the purple lilac, Mayflower, and purple aster—were put in a hat. The purple aster won the draw.

The purple aster was popular because it’s a late flower that signifies hope in the fall, or dying season. The aster is also native to New Hampshire and makes a pretty “buttoniere.”

But the House demanded the return of the apple blossom. It was time for another desperate strategy.

Botanists to the Rescue

Professor Arthur Houston Chivers of Dartmouth College and Professor Ormond Butler of the New Hampshire College at Durham were summoned. Legislators agreed to abide by the decision of the two botanists.

Unfortunately, the botany professors couldn’t agree on the same flower! The Dartmouth botanist favored the lilac. The other championed the evening primrose.

Finally, a vote was taken between the lilac and the primrose. The lilac won and was adopted as New Hampshire’s state flower on March 28, 1919.

New Hampshire also has an official wildflower.

Image courtesy
of the Santalady

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