The endangered karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) was designated the official state butterfly of New Hampshire in 1992. A small butterfly that lives in oak savannas and pine barren ecosystems, the karner blue butterfly is found in small isolated colonies in New Hampshire.
Also called the melissa blue, karner blue butterflies range from eastern Minnesota and eastward to the Atlantic seaboard. All State Insects
New Hampshire designated the purple lilac as the official state flower in 1919. The apple blossom, purple aster, wood lily, mayflower, goldenrod, wild pasture rose, evening primrose and buttercup were all considered, but the purple lilac was chosen because it symbolizes the hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State.
New Hampshire's state flag features the state seal with the frigate Raleigh surrounded by laurel leaves and nine stars against a field of blue. New Hampshire did not officially adopt a state flag until 1909.
New Hampshire has had a state seal for more than 200 years, initially created in 1775 by the First Provincial Congress and featuring a pine tree and an upright fish (symbols of the two major economic resources at the time) on either side of a bundle of five arrows (representing the strength of unity among the then five counties).
In 1784 the seal was revised to depict a ship on stocks with a rising sun in the background (to show that Portsmouth had become a major shipbuilding center during the war years).
The purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus) was designated the official state bird of New Hampshire in 1957. The selection of the purple finch as a symbol of New Hampshire was supported by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs, and the State Federation of Women’s Clubs.
New Hampshire designated white birch (Betula papyrifera) as the official state tree in 1947. White birch is also known as canoe birch or paper birch (native Americans used white birch bark to make canoes and it was also used for writing paper).
Native to New Hampshire, white birch trees are found on the wooded slopes bordering lakes and streams in the state. White birch is a dramatic part of New Hampshire scenery - the birch's white trunk is a beautiful contrast against the green / brown / grays of other trees.
The pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule) was designated the official state wildflower of New Hampshire in 1991 (purple lilac is the state flower, adopted in 1919). The lady's slipper is a unique member of the orchid family, a showy wildflower native to North America (also called moccasin flower, or simply lady slipper). All State Flowers
New Hampshire designated the white potato (Solanum tuberosum) as the official state vegetable in 2013, due to efforts by Derry Village Elementary School after learning that an Irish immigrant brought a sack of seed potatoes to the area in 1719, making New Hampshire the first state to cultivate the white potato.
New Hampshire designated the chinook as the official state dog in 2009. The chinook is a sled and work dog developed in New Hampshire during the early 20th century.
The chinook is the only dog breed originating in New Hampshire. Adopting the chinook as New Hampshire's dog symbol was the idea of seventh-graders at the Ross A. Lurgio Middle School in Bedford.
New Hampshire designated apple cider as the official state beverage in 2010. There are nearly 150 apple growers in New Hampshire (more than 1,400 acres of apple orchards).