State Symbols

The Lone Star Flag was adopted as the state flag when Texas became the 28th state in 1845. Just like the United States flag, the blue stands for loyalty, the white represents strength and the red is for bravery.

The pecan tree is the state tree. This is what the pecans look like while they are growing on the tree.

To harvest pecans, the pecan tree is shaken by a machine To harvest pecans, the pecan tree is shaken by a machine. The pecans fall off the tree onto the ground. Then, they are collected.

People crack the shells with a nut cracker and take out the pecan People crack the shells with a nut cracker and take out the pecan. A lot of people like to eat pecans right out of the shell. Pecans make great desserts like pecan pie and pecan topped brownies!

The bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas.

Every Spring, Texas fields are covered with bluebonnets.

The nine-banded armadillo is the state’s official small mammal. The armadillo is the size of a large house cat. It likes to eat insects and worms that it finds by digging in the ground. It prefers to live in a place that has soft soil to dig a burrow and it usually lives near water like lakes or streams.

The Longhorn is the official large mammal of Texas. The Texas longhorn is best known for its long, spectacular horns. They average a span of 5 1/2 feet and can be straight, gently curved or sharply bent.

The Horned Toad Lizard is the state reptile of Texas. The horned toad spends its time heating up its body in the sun and eating insects. It burrows in the sand. It hibernates from October to May.

The Mockingbird is the Texas State bird. The mockingbird eats ants, beetles, grasshoppers, seeds and berries. The mockingbird was given its name because of its ability to mimic the calls of dozens of other bird species.

The Monarch Butterfly is the Texas state insect. It eats the leaves of the milkweed plant. It migrates from Mexico to California every year. They usually stop throughout Texas to take a break from this 3,000 mile trip.

The Guadalupe Bass is only found in Texas and is the Texas state fish. It is found in the flowing waters of the Texas Hill Country. The Guadalupe bass is generally green in color with dark-color markings along its side. It is a small fish weighing about 3 pounds.

Tortilla chips and salsa are the official state snack The idea came from second grade students at Leo Marcell Elementary School in Mission, Texas. They even made a trip to the State Capitol in Austin to testify in support of this tasty treat before the State Cultural Affairs Committee. The Texas Legislature adopted the state snack in 2003.

Chili is the state dish of Texas. Chili is a spicy meat stew that many Texans like to eat. How hot do you like your chili?

Texas State Gemstone: Lone Star Blue Topaz

The Ruby Red Grapefruit is the Texas State fruit. It is grown in the lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas. It is much sweeter that the white and pink varieties of grapefruit. Texas Ruby Reds are shipped all over the United States and Canada.