Red rose; photo by Jörg Kanngießer on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution).
Official State Flower of New York
The rose was designated as the official state flower of New York in 1955 (a rose of any color or combination of colors). All State Flowers
The rose is a symbol of love and beauty (as well as war and politics) the world over. The rose is also our national flower; the state flower of Georgia is the Cherokee rose; and the wild prairie rose is the state flower of Iowa and North Dakota.
The rose grows naturally throughout North America. Roses are red, pink, white, or yellow and can have a wonderfully rich aroma. The petals and rose hips are edible and have been used in medicines since ancient times. Rose hips (the fruit of the rose which forms at base of the flower) are eaten in winter by wild birds and other animals.
The rose has played an important role in myth, history, and poetry from ancient times to the present.
