New York’s State Flower

New York was perhaps the first state to select a state flower, though it waited a while before officially adopting it. School children were invited to vote for a state flower on Arbor Day, 1890. The goldenrod received 81,308 votes, the rose 79,666. Third place went to the daisy, with just 33,603 votes.

The next year they voted again, with only the goldenrod and rose as candidates. The rose was slightly ahead in New York City. But its lead grew as votes came in from other communities and rural areas. In the end, the rose received 294,816 votes, the goldenrod 206,402. But the rose wasn’t officially adopted until April 20, 1955.

The wild or pasture rose (Rosa carolina) is one of New York’s commonest and best-known wildflowers. But New York doesn’t recognize any particular species or variety of rose. Rather, the official flower is “The rose, in any color of combination of colors common to it . . .”

Image courtesy
of the Santalady

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