The wild rose was adopted as the state flower of Iowa in 1897. Although no particular species was designated by the Iowa Legislature, the wild prairie rose (Rosa Pratincola) is usually cited as the official flower. All State Flowers
Wild roses bloom from June through late summer throughout Iowa - the petals come in varying shades of pink, with yellow stamens at the flower's center.
The state motto of Iowa is "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." It was the work of a three-man Senate committee and was incorporated into the design of the Iowa state seal at their suggestion.
The Iowa state motto also appears on the Iowa state flag. All State Mottos
The name Iowa comes from the Iowa river, which was named for the the native American Iowas (or Ioways), a Sioux tribe. All State Name Origins
Adopted early in the state's history, Iowa's nickname is "The Hawkeye State". The history of the nickname is debated. Some say it is a tribute to chief Black Hawk, leader of the native American Sauk tribe (relocated to Iowa after unsuccessful fighting of settlers). Others say the nickname comes from the novel "The Last of the Mohicans" by James Fenimore Cooper. In the novel, Hawkeye is a fictional character who is a skilled woodsman and warrior. He is also a member of the Mohican tribe, which is a Native American tribe that once lived in the area that is now Iowa.
Virginia designated the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) as the official state floral emblem in 1918 (also Virginia's state tree, adopted in 1956). All State Flowers
The dogwood is a small, deciduous tree with graceful branches that bloom in spring with large showy flowers (usually greenish-white, sometimes pink or yellow). The dogwood develops red berries in autumn, and the leaves also turn a deep red before falling for winter.
Florida designated Myakka fine sand as the official state soil in 1989. Myakka (pronounced "My-yak-ah;" a Native American word for "big waters"), is a native soil of Florida and does not occur in any other state. All State Soils
The Florida state seal was adopted by the 1865 legislature, which mandated that the seal be the size of the American silver dollar and display a scene in the center "of the sun's rays over a high land in the distance, a cocoa tree, a steamboat on water, and an Indian female scattering flowers in the foreground, (all) encircled by the words, Great Seal of the State of Florida: In God We Trust" (Florida's state motto).
The Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridamus) was designated the official state freshwater fish in 1975 (the Atlantic sailfish is the state saltwater fish of Florida). All State Fish
Florida designated "The Swanee River" (Old Folks at Home) by Stephen C. Foster as the official state song in 1935, replacing "Florida, My Florida" (which was adopted as the state song in 1913). Florida designated another official state song (I am Florida) in 2013 . All State Songs
Florida designated the Atlantic sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) as the official state saltwater fish in 1975 (Florida's official freshwater fish is the largemouth bass). All State Fish