Examining the state flowers of the US

In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Botanic Garden is showcasing the flowers each U.S. state and territory has chosen as their official flower. The April-October 2026 exhibit shares their sights and stories with living plants, artistic displays, botanical illustrations, and herbarium specimens.

From fragrant magnolia flowers and roses to native orchids, bluebonnets, and saguaro cactus flowers, enjoy the variety as we feature the floral beauty that symbolizes America.

See the full list on the America’s State Flowers webpage, and continue reading to learn more as they showcase each official flower.

Utah: Sego lily (Calochortus nuttallii)
Many Native American cultures in the mountainous West eat sego lily bulbs, typically roasted or powdered into soup. The bulbs have a nutty flavor, and the seeds and bulbs can be used to make a flour for bread. Mormon settlers used this knowledge to survive food shortages in the 1840s. The Utah state legislature named the sego lily the state flower in 1911 in homage to its life-saving role.

The plant grows as a single individual or just a few — rarely seen as a wide swath in the sandy or rocky soils of Utah. The flowers can be creamy white to pink or lavender. All have a yellow center at the base of three petals and many also have maroon markings inside.

Bloom time: May-July

Vermont: Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
Native to Asia and southern Europe, red clover was introduced in the United States by European settlers to feed farm animals. Farmers also use red clover as a cover crop and to improve soil health.

Bloom time: May-September

US Virgin Islands: Yellow elder (Tecoma stans)
These bright-yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers are used in traditional medicine to treat toothaches or high blood sugar, and can also be used as powerful anti-venom for cobra bites.

The fragrant flowers attract bees and butterflies, and the plant thrives in hot and arid conditions. This combination has led to wide use in landscaping and gardening.

Bloom time: May-July

Washington: Coast rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum)
When selecting Washington’s floral emblem in 1892, only women were allowed to vote on the flower. They wanted an official flower to showcase for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. The rhododendron was chosen over the other finalist, clover. In 1959, the state legislature officially selected Rhododendron macrophyllum, a species native to Washington.

The medium-to-large evergreen shrub has showy pink to purple (and sometimes white!) flowers. They can grow under tall conifers in a forest or home garden setting.

Bloom time: April-June

West Virginia: Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)
A popular landscape plant, also known as big laurel or rosebay, R. maximum blooms every other year. Its wood is popular for crafting items like walking sticks and furniture.

Bloom time: Late May-July

Wyoming: Indian paintbrush (Castilleja linariifolia)
These brightly colored plants hide a secret — they are a host for Wyoming’s state flower. The Wyoming Indian paintbrush is hemiparasitic, meaning it relies on neighboring plants like native grasses and sagebrush as well as photosynthesis for water and nutrients. Its roots tap into the grass’s roots underground, helping it to grow and eventually bloom.