Texas State Symbols

Texas state symbols are important because they reflect the many things that are special about Texas.

Texas is nicknamed the “Lone Star State” because the state flag just has one star. This has been the official state flag since 1845.

The Texas State Song is “Texas, Our Texas.” It was the winner of a state song contest sponsored by the legislature and was adopted in 1929.

“Friendship” is the Texas State Motto.

The Texas State Flower is the bluebonnet, which is one of the oldest state symbols, because it was chosen in Bluebonnets bloom all over Texas in the spring.

The Texas State Bird is the mockingbird, which was adopted as our state bird in These birds imitate the calls of other birds.

The official state large mammal is the Texas longhorn. Their long horns have an average width of 5 ½ feet.

The official Texas small mammal is the armadillo, which was approved by the Texas legislature in 1995.

Would you believe that Texas even has an official state dinosaur! The Pleurocoelus, adopted in 1997, is thought to have roamed near Glen Rose over 105 million years ago.

For something to become an official Texas symbol, a resolution or motion must be submitted in either the Texas House of Representatives or Texas Senate.

To become a law, the resolution must be approved by members of the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate and then must be signed by the Governor of Texas.