From fish to flowers, these are the official state symbols of the Florida

Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press
·9 min read
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Through history, states like Florida have developed lists of official state symbols. These symbols represent the fabric of the state and they are used to establish clarity when it comes to the state's identity and differentiating one state from other states. Although some symbols are not unique to one state as you will see.

Example: Florida's state drink is orange juice. The official state drink of New York? Milk.

If you are a Florida native, or if you moved to Florida from another state like New York, consider this your official reminder of the Sunshine State's official symbols. There may be a quiz later so pay attention!

Here is the list with an assist from the Florida Department of State:

What is the official state animal of Florida?

A Florida panther strolls past a camera trap set up at the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem in Estero.
A Florida panther strolls past a camera trap set up at the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem in Estero.

ANSWER: Panther

DID YOU KNOW: The most endangered of all Florida's symbols is its state animal, the panther (Felis concolor coryi) which was chosen in 1982 by a vote of students throughout the state. The Florida Panther is a large, long-tailed, pale brown cat that grows to six feet or longer. Its habitat is usually the same as that of the white-tailed deer, which is the mainstay of its diet. Much folklore surrounds these seldom-seen cats, sometimes called "catamounts" or "painters," and they have been persecuted out of fear and misunderstanding of the role these large predators play in the natural ecosystem. Human population growth has been the primary threat to the panther's range and continues to diminish the quality of existing habitats. The Panther has been protected from legal hunting in Florida since 1958. It has been on the federal endangered species list since 1967 and on the state's endangered list since 1973.

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What is the official state bird of Florida?

A young, displaced mockingbird opens wide for an hourly snack of moistened dry cat food at the Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda.
A young, displaced mockingbird opens wide for an hourly snack of moistened dry cat food at the Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda.

ANSWER: Mockingbird

DID YOU KNOW? The common mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is a superb songbird and mimic. Its own song has a pleasant lilting sound and is, at times, both varied and repetitive. Often, the mockingbird sings all night long, especially under bright springtime moonlight. Mockingbirds are usually about 10 inches in length, with a 15-inch wingspan, grayish upper portions, white undersides, and white patches on the tail and wings. The female has slightly less whiteness in its feathers than the male. The mockingbird is helpful to humans because it usually feeds on insects and weed seeds. In the summer and fall, it also eats ripe berries.

What is the official state butterfly of Florida?

ANSWER: Zebra longwing

DID YOU KNOW: Long black wings with distinctive thin yellow bands - combined with slow, graceful flight - characterize the zebra longwing (Heliconius charitonius). It has a wide range of habitats, including hardwood hammocks, thickets, and gardens. The zebra longwing is found throughout the state, although it is more common in south Florida, particularly in the Everglades National Park. In 1996 the state legislature designated the zebra longwing as the official state butterfly.

What is the official freshwater fish of Florida?

ANSWER: Largemouth bass

DID YOU KNOW: One of America's most-prized gamefish, the Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) seems to grow to unusually large size in Florida waters. It can reach a length of more than twenty inches and weigh more than fifteen pounds. This black bass is an elongated sunfish, whose distinguishing feature, aside from its exceptionally large mouth, is a deep notch in the dorsal fin. Largemouth bass usually live in quiet waters that contain bountiful vegetation. The 1975 legislature designated the Florida largemouth bass as the official state freshwater fish.

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What is the official saltwater fish of Florida?

ANSWER: Sailfish

DID YOU KNOW: Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) are not unique to Florida; they are found nearly everywhere there is warm ocean water. However, Florida sailfishing is legendary, especially in the Fort Pierce, Miami, and Keys areas during colder months. Sailfish migrate southward as the weather chills in the north.

What is the official flower of Florida?

ANSWER: Orange blossom

DID YOU KNOW: The blossom of the orange tree (Citrus sinensis) is one of the most fragrant flowers in Florida. Millions of these white flowers perfume the atmosphere throughout central and south Florida during orange blossom time. The orange blossom was selected as the state flower by the 1909 legislature.

What is the official gem of Florida?

This beautiful moonstone ring comes in 15 sizes.
This beautiful moonstone ring comes in 15 sizes.

ANSWER: Moonstone

DID YOU KNOW: United States astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin ("Buzz") Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Since this and all other astronaut-controlled spaceflights had been launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County, the Florida Legislature sought to memorialize this "giant step" for humankind. In 1970, lawmakers adopted the moonstone as the official state gem. Ironically, the moonstone, a form of the mineral feldspar, is not found naturally in Florida. ... nor was it found on the moon!

What is the official marine mammal of Florida?

Mama and baby manatees at Silver Glen Springs, Ocala. Camera used was a Canon R5 with a Sigma 150-500 lens.
Mama and baby manatees at Silver Glen Springs, Ocala. Camera used was a Canon R5 with a Sigma 150-500 lens.

ANSWER: Manatee

DID YOU KNOW: The manatee (Trichechus manatus), also called a sea cow, is a gray, waterplant-eating, gentle giant that reaches eight to fourteen feet in length and can weigh more than a ton. It was designated the state marine mammal in 1975.

What is the official saltwater mammal of Florida?

A dolphin patrols Mantanzas Pass underneath the bridge to Fort Myers Beach with its pod on Monday, May 1, 2023.
A dolphin patrols Mantanzas Pass underneath the bridge to Fort Myers Beach with its pod on Monday, May 1, 2023.

ANSWER: Porpoise or dolphin

DID YOU KNOW: Is it a porpoise, or is it a dolphin? Even the 1975 Florida Legislature left the issue open, designating the "porpoise, also commonly known as the dolphin," as the official saltwater mammal. The terms porpoise and dolphin are sometimes erroneously used interchangeably. Usually in Florida both names refer to the Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates), the species commonly found along Florida's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. (True porpoises are a different saltwater mammal and are not commonly found in Florida waters). Dolphins are gray with a lighter underside. They can live to the age of thirty and most are 6 to 8 feet in length.

What is the official reptile of Florida?

ANSWER: Alligator

DID YOU KNOW: In 1987 the Florida legislature designated the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) as the official state reptile. Long an unofficial symbol of the state, the alligator originally symbolized Florida's extensive untamed wilderness and swamps. Alligators are found throughout Florida and in parts of other southeastern states. They prefer lakes, swamps, canals, and other wetland habitats.

What is the official shell of Florida?

ANSWER: Horse conch

DID YOU KNOW: The horse conch (Pleuroploca gigantea), also known as the giant band shell, has been Florida's official state shell since 1969. This shell is native to the marine waters around Florida and can grow to a length of twenty-four inches. Young horse conchs have orange-colored shells; adults have orange apertures. At least 535 million years ago, mollusks acquired the ability to secrete a carbonate of lime solution that formed a hard, protective shell around them. The word "conch" comes from a Greek word meaning "shell."

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What is the official soil of Florida?

ANSWER: Myakka fine sand

DID YOU KNOW: In 1989 the legislature designated Myakka fine sand as the official state soil. Myakka soil, which is unique to Florida, occurs in more than one-and-a-half million acres of flatwoods, making it the single most extensive soil in the state. Soil conservation is very important in Florida, where agriculture is a significant industry.

What is the official stone of Florida?

ANSWER: Agitized coral

DID YOU KNOW: In 1989 the legislature designated Myakka fine sand as the official state soil. Myakka soil, which is unique to Florida, occurs in more than one-and-a-half million acres of flatwoods, making it the single most extensive soil in the state. Soil conservation is very important in Florida, where agriculture is a significant industry.

What is the official tree of Florida?

This is a Sabal Palm tree.
This is a Sabal Palm tree.

ANSWER: Sabal palm

DID YOU KNOW: The sabal palm (Sabal palmetto) is the most widely distributed palm in Florida. It grows in almost any soil and has many uses, including food, medicine, and landscaping. The 1953 Florida legislature designated the sabal palm as the state tree, and the 1970 legislature mandated that the sabal palm should replace the cocoa palm on the state seal.

What is the official wildflower of Florida?

In bloom at Prairie Pines Preserve, Florida's state flower, Coreopsis leavenworthii, known as tickseed
In bloom at Prairie Pines Preserve, Florida's state flower, Coreopsis leavenworthii, known as tickseed

ANSWER: Coreopsis

DID YOU KNOW: In 1991 the flower of the genus Coreopsis was designated as Florida's official wildflower. The state legislature made this designation after the colorful flowers were used extensively in Florida's roadside plantings and highway beautification programs. The coreopsis is found in a variety of colors, ranging from golden to pink.

What is the official state drink of Florida?

A mug of orange juice from Red Rooster, Marco Island.
A mug of orange juice from Red Rooster, Marco Island.

ANSWER: Orange juice

DID YOU KNOW: Whenever the words "orange juice" are read, written, or spoken, many people automatically think of Florida. During the Second World War, scientists invented a process for making concentrated orange juice. Soon, a frozen concentrate was developed that transformed orange juice production into a multi-billion-dollar industry. In 1967 the Florida legislature designated orange juice as the official state beverage.

What is the official state motto of Florida?

ANSWER: In God We Trust

DID YOU KNOW: "In God We Trust" was adopted by the Florida legislature as part of the state seal in 1868. This is also the motto of the United States and is a slight variation on Florida's first state motto, "In God is our Trust." In 2006, "In God We Trust" was officially designated in state statute as Florida's motto.

What is the official state anthem of Florida?

ANSWER: Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky

DID YOU KNOW: Responding to an initiative to find a new Florida state song, the Florida Music Educators Association managed an online contest to find a new song to represent the state. The winning song was "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky," written by Jan Hinton, a music teacher from Pompano Beach. In the 2008 legislative session, a compromise was reached that kept the old state song "Old Folks at Home" (with revised lyrics) and designated "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" as the new state anthem. Sawgrass grows in Florida's coastal marshes and is particularly common in the Everglades, where it stretches as far as the eye can see.

What is the official state play of Florida?

ANSWER: "Cross and Sword"

DID YOU KNOW: "Cross and Sword," Florida's official state play since its designation by the 1973 legislature, dramatizes the story of Spanish colonization of the nation's first city, St. Augustine. The pageant, written by Paul Green, features lavish costumes, dramatic lighting, and stirring music. It entwines the lives of some of Florida's early European settlers: Pedro Menéndez, Jean Ribault, and Father López.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida's official state symbols range from alligators to orange juice