North Carolina State Symbols

What is a Symbol? From the Merriam-Webster dictionary: Something that stands for something else. Example: the lion is a symbol of courage

What is a State Symbol? Official State symbols represent something special about a state. They tell us something about our culture, our history, and our natural environment. They were chosen by our state government to show what our state is like. In each category, like birds for example, our leaders thought of all the birds in North Carolina and chose the cardinal as the one that is most unique to our state.

State Berries Blueberries and Strawberries We were designated as the official state berries in 2001. We are both grown in NC and consumers an pick us at farms from one end of the state to the other. Our colors are red and blue. Interesting facts: Strawberries and blueberries are both very healthy foods. They must be grown near where people buy them, or they go bad before customers can get them. Sales of these berries contribute about $40 million dollars to the states economy every year. read more here Video: BLUEBERRY | How Does it Grow?

State Beverage Milk I was designated as the official state beverage in 1987. I am the perfect source of protein and calcium. Dairy farmers sell me to grocery stores where you can buy me to drink Interesting facts: NC has about 45,000 milk cows Dairy is the 9th largest farm product in NC NC produces 135 million gallons of milk per year Read more here Video: dancing cows?

State Bird Cardinal I was designated as the official state bird in 1943. You will often find me singing tunes in your backyard. If I am a male, I am a brightly colored red. Most birds fly south in the winter, but I never leave my home. Interesting facts Cardinal habitat covers over half of the United States. Males and females look very different. Males are bright red and females are brownish red. Cardinals look especially striking on a snowy day. Read more here: Video: listen to a cardinal’s call here

State Wildflower Carolina Lily I was designated as the official state wildflower in 2003. I grow throughout North Carolina from the mountains to the coast. My petals are a brilliant red-orange with brown spots that curl back to overlap. Interesting facts Can grow up to 4 feet tall Grows anywhere from West Virginia to Florida It is not endangered, but it is rare images

State Vegetable Sweet Potato I was designated as the official state vegetable in 1995. North Carolina is the largest producer of my crop, and Native Americans started harvesting me in the 1400’s. Interesting facts Sweet potatoes are not related to regular potatoes Yams and sweet potatoes are basically the same thing Sweet potatoes are very healthy for you to eat Read more here: Video: Food Network info on Sweet Potatoes

State Boat Shad Boat I was designated as the official state boat in 1987. I was first built on Roanoke Island in 1870. I am a shallow boat known for speed and easy handling. I was once a high demand of coastal fishermen. Interesting facts: “Shad” is a kind of fish Shad boats were used a long time ago. They haven’t been built in over 100 years, but some are still around! Read more here: images

State Butterfly Eastern Swallowtail I was designated as the official state butterfly in 2012. I am yellow with 4 black stripes on each wing. I am considered to be the first North American Butterfly to have been drawn. Interesting facts Can be found in every county in NC Easy to recognize Called “swallowtail” because the front wings are larger than the back wings. Video: eastern swallowtail

State Tree Pine Tree I was designated as the official state tree in 1963. I am one of the most common trees found in North Carolina. I produce pine cones in the fall and supply NC with many important wood products. Interesting facts: Pine trees grow very fast They grow naturally throughout NC Pine is the most important type of wood used in the construction industry Read more here Video: Logs to Lumber

State Sport Stock Car Racing I was designated as the official state sport in 2011. Fans like to come see me and my driver race around a track or speedway. I am usually painted with bright colors and logos. Interesting facts Students from Mooresville were the ones that presented the NC General Assembly with the idea that Stock Car racing should be the State Sport. North Carolina is the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the NC Auto Racing Hall of Fame. Stock car racing started in North Carolina during Prohibition, when the sale of alcohol was illegal. Fast cars were used to transport illegal products. Later, it became a sport. The movie “Cars” is based on NASCAR Read more here Video: Pixar “Cars” and NASCAR

State Carnivorous Plant Venus Flytrap I was designated as the official state carnivorous plant in 2005. I am native to only a small area of the Coastal Plain. My leaves open wide to catch and trap insects for my meals. Interesting facts Carnivorous mean meat-eating They only grow in a 75 mile radius near Wilmington It is illegal to take a venus flytrap from the wild Read more here Video: venus flytrap slo-mo

State Christmas Tree Fraser Fir I was designated as the official state Christmas tree in 2005. I am native to the mountain region of NC where I am found on tree farms. I am harvested in early winter and used for decorations at Christmas. Interesting facts It can take 12 years for a tree to grow big enough to be a Christmas tree Fraser firs are used for Christmas trees all over the US and many of them are grown in NC The White House Christmas Tree has been a NC Fraser Fir several times Read more here images

State Song “The Old North State” I was designated as the official state song in 1927. I was written by William Gaston, and I have been performed by the North Carolina Symphony. Interesting facts Was written in 1835 Lyrics include this line: “"Carolina! Carolina! Heaven's blessings attend her! While we live we will cherish, protect and defend her;” The state song is one of the oldest state symbols. Read more here Listen to the song here

State Shell Scotch Bonnet I was designated as the official state shell in 1965. I am found along the Atlantic Coast of NC. After a storm, you may find me washed around Cape Hatteras. Interesting facts: The Scotch Bonnet got its name because it looks like a specific type of hat, called a scotch bonnet. The shell is part of an animal that is a type of snail They live 50 to 150 feet underwater in the ocean. Read more here

State Dog Plott Hound I was designated as the official state dog in 1989. I am a mountain breed known as a legendary hunter. I am raised and trained to be courageous and bold! You may find me chasing raccoons up trees. Interesting facts This is the only breed of dog developed in NC They are great hunting dogs It is only one of 4 breeds that are native to the United States. Read more here Video

State Flag I have flown over North Carolina since 1885! My design consists of wide, horizontal, red and white stripes with a blue stripe down the left side. I have a white star in the center of my blue stripe with a yellow N on the left and yellow C on the right. I am marked with two different dates in yellow scrolls. Interesting facts Established in 1861 Minor changes were made in 1991 Read more here images

State Seal The Great Seal of North Carolina I was designated as the official state seal in 1971 and modified in 1983 after many variations. I am circular and feature robe covered figures in my center. I have two dates and our state motto inscribed on me. Interesting facts The people represent “Liberty” and “Plenty” In the background you can see mountains and the ocean Both the dates refer to how North Carolina was one of the first colonies to want to be independent from England images

State Saltwater Fish Channel Bass I was designated as the official state saltwater fish in 1971. I’m usually found in large numbers along the Tar Heel coastal waters. I can weigh up to 110 pounds, but I usually average 30-40 pounds Interesting facts It has black spots on its tail, like a tar-heel! They are important for both commercial and sport fishing Read more Video: watch minute 3:30-4:30

State Flower Dogwood I was designated as the official state flower in 1941. My blossoms appear in early spring in white and pink shades. I am found on one of the most common trees in North Carolina. Interesting facts These flowers grow on trees, but the dogwood tree is not the state tree. They grow in the wild throughout the forests of North Carolina Many people also put them in their yards Read more here images

State Fossil Megalodon Shark Teeth I was designated as the official state fossil in 2013. I belong to an extinct species that lived over 1.5 million years ago. I am heart shaped and I once grew to over 7 inches long. I am also a featured exhibit in Raleigh at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Interesting facts This fossil came from a prehistoric shark that lived over 1.5 million years ago The teeth are made of a bone-like substance, and can be found fossilized on North Carolina beaches and off the coast. The Megalodon went extinct about 2 million years ago, during the Miocene era. Read a news article here about divers finding megalodon teeth

State Salamander Marbled Salamander I was designated as the official state salamander in 2013. I can be found throughout NC. I am an amphibian with a unique marbled pattern of gray and black. Interesting facts It is sometimes called a Banded Salamander, because it looks like it has bands around its body They are only about 3 inches long To defend itself, it releases a poison from it’s tail so animals won’t want to eat it Read more images

State Rock Granite I was designated as the official state rock in 1979. I am found all over North Carolina. You will often find me in a rock quarry where I am sold for building materials when super smooth surfaces are needed. Interesting facts Granite is an igneous rock A place where granite is taken out of the ground is called a quarry Granite is used for buildings, monuments and even countertops Read more Video: watch workers quarrying granite

State Freshwater trout Brook Trout I was designated as the official state freshwater fish in 2005. I live in the mountain streams of NC where the water is cool and clean. Catching me is a favorite pastime of fishermen. Interesting facts Live 4 years in the wild Found only in the western mountains Good for sport fishing Read more images

State Frog Pine Barren Tree Frog I was designated as the official state frog in 2013. I am considered to be one of the most striking and beautiful frogs in the Southeast region of the United States. You may find me on the side of a tree in the pine forests of North Carolina. Interesting facts The noise they make sounds like a honk They are green with a lavender stripe They are nocturnal Read more images

State Reptile Eastern Box Turtle I was designated as the official state reptile in 1979. I have a hard outer shell with bright markings of orange and yellow. You may find me living in the moist areas of woods or meadows. Interesting facts They can live 25-30 years It got its name because it looks like a box when it pulls in its arms and legs and head They are found in all parts of NC except the Outer Banks Read more images

State Precious Stone Emerald I was designated as the official state precious stone in 1973. I am one of the most valuable and unique gems in the world, and I am the largest stone ever found in North Carolina. Interesting facts Emeralds are usually more expensive than diamonds North Carolina has the only significant emerald deposits in North America. It is the birthstone for May Read more images

State Fruit Scuppernong grapes I was designated as the official state fruit in 2001. I was named after a river in North Carolina. I am usually greenish or bronze in color, and I have a tart taste. Many people like to make juice out of me. Interesting facts This was the first type of grape actively cultivated in the US This variety was first noticed in NC in 1524 It is used to make jellies, jams and wine Read more Read here about a 400 year old Scuppernong vine

State Horse Colonial Spanish Mustang I was designated as the official state horse in 2010. You could find me roaming wild up and down the coast of North Carolina. I have survived more than 4 centuries of hurricanes! Interesting facts These wild horses have lived in the Outer Banks for over 400 years They are descendants from horses that survived a shipwreck of Spanish Explorers Misty of Chincoteague is a children’s novel about these wild horses Read more Video: wild horses of the Outer Banks

State Motto “Esse Quam Videri” I was designated as the official state motto 1893. My Latin words are placed upon the Great Seal of the State. The translation of my words means: “to be rather than to seem.” Interesting facts Taken from an essay about how many people pretend to be nicer people than they really are. The idea is that we really should be good...not just try to seem like we are. The man that wrote that essay was born in 106 BC NC was the last of the 13 colonies to choose a motto Read more

State Mineral Gold I was designated as the official state mineral in 2011. I was discovered by Conrad Reed, a 12 year old boy, in 1799. I was a door stop for several years before the Reed family sold me. Interesting facts The place where the discovery took place is now known as Reeds Gold Mine, and we are going there on a field trip later this year. This discovery led to the North Carolina Gold Rush, which was before the California Gold Rush Read more Video: NC Gold Rush

State Insect Honeybee I was designated as the official state insect in 1993. North Carolinians use me to make beeswax and honey. I am also recognized as the official state symbol in 17 other states. Interesting facts: Important for pollination of agricultural crops Bee population has been going down for years, which make bee keeping very important Bees were brought from Europe on ships in the 1600’s Read more

State Mammal Gray Squirrel I was designated as the official state mammal in 1969. I have a fluffy long tail and clawed feet for climbing trees. You may see me scurrying from tree to tree hunting for acorns. Interesting facts Found in every part of NC They make nests in trees They are omnivores: they eat both plants and small animals Read more video

State Marsupial Virginia Opossum I was designated as the official state marsupial in 2013. Even though my name may make you think I live somewhere else, I am native to North Carolina and the only marsupial found in North America! I have a long, pointed nose, dark beady eyes, long scaly tail and leathery ears. Interesting facts A marsupial is an animal who carries its babies in a pouch, like a kangaroo. They are nocturnal They will eat almost anything, including garbage. Read more Video: fun facts about opossums