# Do any two or more states use the same state birds, flowers etc., or they all unique? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 19, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917 "2009-01-19T01:32:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/21 "2009-01-19T10:35:49Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > And the state soil of Indiana is Miami, apparently. > > I’m impressed (if not a little bewildered) by the sheer variety of [State Symbols.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_state_symbols) Some of them, like flags, songs, mottos and so on, seem like natural accoutrements of a state; and it doesn’t seem at all out of the way that people might choose an animal of some sort, or a flower, to represent their home state. > > But what prompts a State Legislature to vote on the adoption of an official State Soil? Or dinosaur, or dessert? And what role do they play? Do the fine residents of New Jersey swell with civic pride at the sight of a Knobbed Whelk? Sometimes it’s about money. California, for instance, designated gold as its state mineral (duh, Golden State); the state rock is serpentinite because (a) we’ve got a lot of it, and (b) it’s the principal source of chrysotile asbestos, and the choice was promoted by the California asbestos industry. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/22 "2009-01-19T11:07:19Z")
Virginia’s state flower is ham. Ha! Just kidding. It’s dogwood. Which makes only slightly more sense. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/23 "2009-01-19T12:05:03Z")
North Carolina and Virginia are interesting because they are neighboring states that both have the same state bird and flower: the cardinal and the dogwood. I’m not sure if this is due to a lack of imagination, or some sort of plan for eventual unification that foundered when they couldn’t agree on a common state dog. (North Carolina’s is the Plott Hound, Virginia went with the American Foxhound). ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/24 "2009-01-19T12:25:03Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > The sugar maple is the official tree for four states (Vermont, New York, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.) The last two make no sense, and only a little bit of sense for New York. In most years, New York is second or third in maple syrup production. Wisconsin is generally in the top five. West Virginia has little commercial maple syrup production but sugar maples grow there and some people tap them. I remember reading about a maple syrup festival when I lived down there, but I don’t remember where it was exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/25 "2009-01-19T12:31:31Z")
NC has a state dog, the Plott hound. Not sure if any other state has a state dog. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/26 "2009-01-19T12:38:32Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > NC has a state dog, the Plott hound. Not sure if any other state has a state dog. Louisiana - Catahoula Leopard Dog Maryland - Chesapeake Bay Retriever Massachusetts - Boston Terrier Pennsylvania - Great Dane South Carolina - Boykin Spaniel Texas - Blue lacy Virginia - American Foxhound Wisconsin - American Water Spaniel ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/27 "2009-01-19T13:16:31Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Virginia’s state flower is ham. > > Ha! Just kidding. It’s dogwood. > > Which makes only slightly more sense. Yeah, that was a good movie. Ohio’s state beverage is tomato juice. And I’m puzzled why Kansas’ state toy is the Etch-a-Sketch but Ohio has no state toy – the Etch-a-Sketch is made by Ohio Arts in Bryan – at least until they moved manufacturing to China in 2001. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/28 "2009-01-19T13:45:26Z")
The sugar Maple makes sense for Wisconsin. They’re all over the place. I want the state bird changed to the Bald Eagle. We have a very healthy population and I despise Robins. Wisconsin state dance Polka. They need to stop letting teachers do a campaign where they brain wash naive children to persuade legislatures we need a state something. ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/29 "2009-01-19T14:01:52Z")
I had always heard that when Louisiana was officially designating many of its state symbols, one legislator nominated one of his esteemed colleagues as the official state fossil. According to a quick googling it was [Senator Edgar Mouton](http://members.cox.net/pyrophyllite/Palm.html) > [@](#): > > “It is interesting to note that in 1976, while the state legislature was considering the naming of the state fossil, one of the legislators nominated Senator Egdar Mouton of Lafayette for that honor. After the Senator declined in deference to “age, rather than beauty,” the (Miocene) petrified wood was declared the winner by acclamation.” In cross checking that, it seems Mouton would have only been 47 years old at that time which would hardly qualify him for fossil status, but it still makes a good story. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/30 "2009-01-19T15:52:48Z")
I’d wish that Michigan would choose [Kirtland’s Warbler](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirtland%27s_Warbler), which only breeds in the state (some recent reports in Wisconsin tho), over the Robin, which breeds almost everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/31 "2009-01-20T07:01:15Z")
And to add to your sum of trivial information, the list of state animals, songs, trees, etc. is called the “state pantheon”. No, I have no cite for this, so don’t ask. Just take my word for it. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/32 "2009-01-20T08:31:24Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Do the fine residents of New Jersey swell with civic pride at the sight of a Knobbed Whelk? I’m a native Jerseyite (presently exiled to upstate New York), and I proudly cherish my Knobbed Whelk shell that I found on a Jersey beach. I didn’t know it was our official shell, though. > [@bouv](#): > > I know that the Vermont state insect is the honey bee, and I wouldn’t be surprised if another state had it too. Another fine [emblem](http://www.nj.gov/njfacts/bug.htm) of the fine state of New Jersey. (And we’ve had it since 1974, while Vermont adopted it only in 1978, the copycats.) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/33 "2009-01-20T14:13:21Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I’m a native Jerseyite (presently exiled to upstate New York), and I proudly cherish my Knobbed Whelk shell that I found on a Jersey beach. I didn’t know it was our official shell, though. > Another fine [emblem](http://www.nj.gov/njfacts/bug.htm) of the fine state of New Jersey. (And we’ve had it since 1974, while Vermont adopted it only in 1978, the copycats.) Ha! [Arkansas](http://www.stateanimals.com/states/arkansas/honeybee_text.html) adopted it in 1973. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/34 "2009-01-20T14:56:56Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > …In cross checking that, it seems Mouton would have only been 47 years old at that time which would hardly qualify him for fossil status, but it still makes a good story. The philosopher-kings of the Ohio General Assembly resisted the temptation to make a cheap joke about one of their peers, and instead selected the Trilobite as the official state fossil: [statefossils.com](http://www.statefossils.com/oh/oh.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/35 "2009-01-20T15:33:33Z")
Maybe it was his birthday and they were messing with him. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/36 "2009-01-20T15:39:37Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > I had always heard that when Louisiana was officially designating many of its state symbols, one legislator nominated one of his esteemed colleagues as the official state fossil. According to a quick googling it was [Senator Edgar Mouton](http://members.cox.net/pyrophyllite/Palm.html) > > In cross checking that, it seems Mouton would have only been 47 years old at that time which would hardly qualify him for fossil status, but it still makes a good story. I remember that story being played out in Colorado, with some Colorado state legislator who actually was very old. The Stegosaurus became the CO state fossil in 1982, so I don’t know whether they cribbed the gag from LA’s 1976 proceedings, or thought of it on their own. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/37 "2009-01-20T19:06:02Z")
Am I really the first doper to post this link from the op-ed page of today’s NYTimes? > **[Op-Chart - Welcome to Delaware (and Others) - Graphic - NYTimes.com](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/20/opinion/20090120_opchart.html?scp=3&sq=Op-chart%2520welcome%2520to%2520delaware&st=cse)** > > \By MATT WEILAND, SEAN WILSEY and OPEN, N.Y.\\For the first time, a native of Hawaii will take residence in the Oval Office. A look at how long other states have had to wait before one of their... ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917/38 "2009-01-21T04:34:09Z")
> [@Donovan](#): > > Why does it make no sense? As I said a lot of these “symbols” are voted for by kids in elementary and junior high schools so that would explain a lot [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-two-or-more-states-use-the-same-state-birds-flowers-etc-or-they-all-unique/481917.md?page=1)