Do You Know What Your State Flower or Bird Is?
Well You Should!
Once upon a time state flowers were found along hillsides, highways and home gardens. The Golden Poppy is California State flower and yet, I don't see them along hillsides, highways or in anyone's gardens! What ever happen to the glory of seeing all of the beautiful flowers.. and where have they gone?
I rarely see a California Golden Poppy alongside the road or in the distance. It was a grand site to see a hillside with a blanket of orange poppies! The brilliant color was hard to miss. Every now and again I'll see a couple poppies in a cluster and remember the days of rolling hills of orange.
Other people are saying the same thing about not finding their state flowers in the wild, alongside roads or even at nurseries. It's time for all of us to take back our flowers and say.. I miss you, I want you, I need you and I will represent!
I challenge all backyard gardeners and state capitals to plant at least one state plant. If you're from New York, your state flower is a beautiful rose. If you're from Florida, your state flower is a wonderful orange blossom. If you're from the Illinois, your state flower is a lovely native violet.
As backyard gardeners, we should be the first to notice our state flowers missing from the common landscapes of America. Gardening is often a domino effect. Perhaps if you plant your state flower in in your front yard, maybe your neighbor will or maybe you'll inspire someone in the community to do the same. How about buying a pack of flowers and offer your neighbor one?
California Golden Poppy
So many things from childhood or landscapes are missing or are being lost because, we as people are either neglecting or simply forgetting about things. The social media/internet/computer age has unfortunately made all of us couch potatoes or computer chair loungers.
We all use to have at least one ol' backyard gardener on the block who had the best lawn, the best flower beds or the best curb appeal. As kids we would think, 'Man .. that guy needs to get a life.'
Well guess what? That 'guy' did have a life. He was creating beauty, history, memories for himself, his family and for passer-bye's. It's time to slow down, give up the computer, cellphones and T.V. for a day and get out and be that guy who takes pride in his manicured lawn and beautiful flower beds.
I rarely see anyone with flower beds anymore.. I hope to change that by planting flower beds in my front yard and one of them will include the California state flower, the Golden Poppy.
Reseeding Your State or County With Wildflowers!
Did you know that some states actually reseed wildflower seeds each year via hydro-seeding but, most states don't.
You can actually adopt a highway to help pick-up litter.. how about reseeding your native flower? Here's a link to contact your governor to request that your state reseed your native flower. Tell them how much you miss seeing that special flower and how states like Illinois actually reseed country sides using hydro-seeding method.
Reseeding Your State or County With Wildflowers!
Did you know that some states actually reseed wildflower seeds each year via hydro-seeding but, most states don't.
You can actually adopt a highway to help pick-up litter.. how about reseeding your native flower? Here's a link to contact your governor to request that your state reseed your native flower. Tell them how much you miss seeing that special flower and how states like Illinois actually reseed country sides using hydro-seeding method.
Where to Buy state wildflower seeds
Arkansas State Flower
Apple Blossom (Pyrus Coronaria)
STATE
|
STATE
TREE
|
STATE
FLOWER
|
STATE
BIRD
|
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Alabama
Montgomery |
Southern
Pine
Picea sitchensis |
Camellia
Camellia sp. |
Yellow
Hammer
|
||||||
Alaska
Juneau |
Sitka
Spruce
Pinus palustris |
Forget-me-not
Myosotis scorpioides |
Willow
Ptarmigan
|
||||||
Arizona
Phoenix |
Paloverde
Cercidium floridum |
Saguaro
cactus
Carnegiea gigantea |
Cactus
Wren
|
||||||
Arkansas
Little Rock |
Pine
Pinus echinata |
Apple
blossom
|
Mockingbird
|
||||||
California
Sacramento |
California
Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens |
Golden
poppy
Eschscholzia californica |
California
Valley Quail
|
||||||
Colorado
Denver |
Blue
Spruce
Picea pungens |
Rocky
Mountain Columbine
Aquilegia caerulea |
Lark
Bunting
|
||||||
Connecticut
Hartford |
White
Oak
Quercus alba |
Mountain
laurel
Kalmia latifolia |
Robin
|
||||||
Delaware
Dover |
American
Holly
Ilex opaca |
Peach
blossom
|
Blue
Hen Chicken
|
||||||
Florida
Tallahassee |
Cabbage
Palmetto
Sabal palmetto |
Orange
blossom
|
Mockingbird
|
||||||
Georgia
Atlanta |
Live
Oak
Quercus virginiana |
Cherokee
rose
Rosa laevigata |
Brown
Thrasher
|
||||||
Massachusetts
Boston |
American
Elm
Ulmus americana |
Mayflower
Epigaea repens |
Chickadee
|
||||||
Michigan
Lansing |
Eastern
White Pine
Pinus strobus |
Apple
blossom
Pyrus coronaria |
Robin
|
||||||
Minnesota
St. Paul |
Red
Pine
Pinus resinosa |
Lady
slipper
Cypripedium reginae |
Common
Loon
|
||||||
Mississippi
Jackson |
Southern
Magnolia
Magnoila grandiflora |
Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora |
Mockingbird
|
||||||
Missouri
Jefferson City |
Flowering
Dogwood
Cornus florida |
Hawthorn
Crataegus sp. |
Bluebird
|
||||||
Montana
Helena |
Ponderosa
Pine
Pinus ponderosa |
Bitterroot
Lewisia rediviva |
Western
Meadowlark
|
||||||
Nebraska
Lincoln |
Cottonwood
Populus deltoides |
Goldenrod
Soldiago gigantea |
Western
Meadowlark
|
||||||
Nevada
Carson City |
Bristlecone
Pine
Pinus aristata |
Sagebrush
Artemisia arbuscula |
Mountain
Bluebird
|
||||||
New
Hampshire
Concord |
Paper
Birch
Betula papyrifera |
Purple
lilac
Syringa vulgaris |
Purple
Finch
|
||||||
New
Jersey
Trenton |
Northern
Red Oak
Quercus rubra |
Purple
violet
Viola sororia |
Eastern
Goldfinch
|
||||||
New
Mexico
Santa Fe |
Pinyon
Pinus edulis |
Yucca
Yucca sp. |
Roadrunner
|
||||||
New
York
Albany |
Sugar
Maple
Acer saccharum |
Rose
Rosa sp. |
Bluebird
|
||||||
North
Carolina
Raleigh |
Pine
Pinus palustris |
Dogwood
Cornus florida |
Cardinal
|
||||||
North
Dakota
Bismarck |
American
Elm
Ulmus americana |
Wild
prairie rose
Rosa carolina |
Western
Meadowlark
|
||||||
Ohio
Columbus |
Ohio
Buckeye
Aesculus glabra |
Scarlet
carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus |
Cardinal
|
||||||
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City |
Eastern
Redbud
Cercis canadensis |
Mistletoe
Loranthaceae sp. |
Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher
|
||||||
Oregon
Salem |
Douglas
fir
Pseudotsuga meziesii |
Oregon
Grape
Mahonia aquifolium |
Western
Meadowlark
|
||||||
Pennsylvania
Harrisburg |
Eastern
Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis |
Mountain
laurel
Kalmia latifolia |
Ruffed
Grouse
|
||||||
Rhode
Island
Providence |
Red
Maple
Acer rubrum |
Violet
Viola sp. |
Rhode
Island Red
|
||||||
South
Carolina
Columbia |
Cabbage
Palmetto
Sabal palmetto |
Yellow
jessamine
Gelsemium sempervirens |
Great
Carolina Wren
|
||||||
South
Dakota
Pierre |
White
Spruce
Picea flauca |
Pasque
flower
Anemone pulsatilla |
Ring-necked
Pheasant
|
||||||
Tennessee
Nashville |
Yellow
Poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera |
Purple
iris
Iridaceae sp. |
Mockingbird
|
||||||
Texas
Austin |
Pecan
Carya illinoensis |
Texas
Blue Bonnet
Lupinus texensis |
Mockingbird
|
||||||
Utah
Salt Lake City |
Blue
Spruce
Picea pungens |
Sego
lily
Calochortus gunnisonii |
American
Seagull
|
||||||
Vermont
Montpelier |
Sugar
Maple
Acer saccarum |
Red
clover
Trifolium pratense |
Hermit
Thrush
|
||||||
Virginia
Richmond |
Flowering
Dogwood
Cornus florida |
Dogwood
Cornus florida |
Cardinal
|
||||||
Washington
Olympia |
Western
Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla |
Western
rhododendron
Rhododendron macrophyllum |
Willow
Goldfinch
|
||||||
West
Virginia
Charleston |
Sugar
Maple
Acer saccarum |
Rhododendron
Rhododendron sp. |
Cardinal
|
||||||
Wisconsin
Madison |
Sugar
Maple
Acer saccarum |
Wood
violet
Viola sororia |
Robin
|
||||||
Wyoming
Cheyenne |
Cottonwood
Populus Sargentii |
Indian
paint brush
Castilleja affinis |
Western
Meadow Lark
|
||||||
SouthWestGardenGuide.BlogSpot.com
The Austin American-Statesman, in partnership with the Wildflower Center, has begun a five-year campaign to honor Lady Bird Johnson by bringing color to the hills and highways of Central Texas. The campaign, which will raise money to plant wildflower seeds, will conclude in 2012, the year when Lady Bird would have turned 100.
In support of this campaign, a special mix of Central Texas wildflower seeds has been created by the Wildflower Center in collaboration with Native American Seed. A share of the proceeds from the sale of Lady Bird's Legacy Mix goes to fund the Wildflower Center's Seed Grant Program.
U.S. First Lady
Lady Bird Johnson
*Lady Birdy Johnson always lead by example. She was the top doll of U.S. First Ladies. She left a legacy to America by setting up an organization called Lady Bird Johnson's Wildflower Center located at University of Texas at Austin. There's lots of resources on her website and her organization offers grants to schools and communities to ensure education regarding conservation for future educations.
Backyard gardeners can purchase wildflowers seeds directly from Lady Bird Johnson's organization as well.
LADY BIRD'S LEGACY
Sowing the Future, One Seed at a TimeThe Austin American-Statesman, in partnership with the Wildflower Center, has begun a five-year campaign to honor Lady Bird Johnson by bringing color to the hills and highways of Central Texas. The campaign, which will raise money to plant wildflower seeds, will conclude in 2012, the year when Lady Bird would have turned 100.
In support of this campaign, a special mix of Central Texas wildflower seeds has been created by the Wildflower Center in collaboration with Native American Seed. A share of the proceeds from the sale of Lady Bird's Legacy Mix goes to fund the Wildflower Center's Seed Grant Program.
Thanks for the fantastic post! I loved the graph/chart you put together for the birds and trees, very creative.
ReplyDelete-Samudaworth Tree Service
Tree Pruning Brooklyn
Thank you Ken Nicely for your correspondence. I'm new at blogging and to tell you the truth.. I'm still trying to figure out all of the settings. Your comment is most encouraging.If you know how long it took me to list the State bird/flower/tree chart.
DeleteLast year I noticed that I'm seeing less and less California Golden Poppies growing alongside hillsides and roads. I had wrote California governor Jerry Brown asking if he has a re-seeding program like some other states have. We don't here in California. So, my local garden club are all trying to bring back local wildflowers across America via out blogs. I hope it works.
A gal in Minnesota told me that her state flower, 'Lady's Slipper' a type of orchid is on an endangered list within the Midwest particular in Iowa. Sad isn't it?
*I bet you were busy after Hurricane Sandy with tree pruning. It's interesting to see the sort of 'patio' trees grow in cities as like New York. I once saw a banana tree growing in a container (with banana's) on a balcony in lower Manhattan. How cool is that?
Someone once said that we find peace living next to a pine tree that drops noisy pine cones all night long, harbors squirrels and forever chirpy birds and always scattering pine needles about but, put us next to a noisy neighbor we have issues with him. Ahh trees (sigh).
Hi Emma,
ReplyDeleteLove your post about the birds and flowers and Lady Bird. I was a child when LBJ was President and Lady Bird was First Lady. Found your site whilst searching state birds and flowers. Can't figure out quite how to follow your blog...where is the link?
Howdy Reecea,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your correspondence. I've been a fan of Lady Bird Johnson and President Johnson for years. As a kid I used to enjoy studying US Presidents but, as a girl, I was more intrigued with their wife's.
I was born in '67 Ireland our school curriculum covered American history because, of the Irish influence in America. After learning about a new president, I'd try to find out as much as I could on American First Ladies but, there was rarely any information other than Jackie Onasis or Mary Todd Lincoln.
Lady Bird was a fascinating gal. She was strong, compassionate, could be an absolute rattlesnake when needed and she was always a lady. With all that said, she was a true Texan and all American. American women have a strong will and determination when motivated that's different than other women around the world. They truly can move mountains or persuade foreign policies even if they're the First Lady of USA. Wink. :O)
If you enjoy Lady Bird Johnson, you'll enjoy her recipes. Food can tell a lot about a person. A personal recipe can determine if you're an anal retentive person or just easy going.
Stop by LBJ's President Library website and you'll see some really easy and good recipes that Lady Bird made on a regular basis.
http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/archives.hom/FAQs/Recipes/recipes.asp
There's a cheese wafer that she's been making since the 60's that's made out of cheddar cheese, rice crispies and cayenne pepper. I use them to dip salsa.
I see what you mean about not having a link to sign up for my blog. There seems to be a glitch of sorts. I've placed a small link at the far bottom of the page that says, "subscribe to posts'. Then you would click the word 'Posts'.
I'll see about posting Lady Bird Johnson's recipes that I often use. Her recipes are as colorful as she was.