What are the national and state flowers, and what is Michigan's?
The Short Answer
The United States adopted the rose as its national floral emblem in 1986, celebrating its beauty and long American history. Michigan's state flower is the apple blossom, chosen in 1897 to honor the state's thriving orchards. Every state has an official flower, and they make meaningful themes for locally rooted gifts.
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America's national flower
In 1986 the rose was named the national floral emblem of the United States, signed into designation after decades of debate that had also considered the marigold and the columbine. The rose won out for its universal beauty, its presence across all fifty states, and its deep roots in American history and gardens. Roses appear in countless national symbols and have been cultivated on the continent for centuries. Because the rose is available year round in every color, it remains the most versatile flower for patriotic themes, memorials, and celebrations of anything distinctly American.
Michigan's apple blossom
Michigan chose the apple blossom as its state flower in 1897, and it is a fitting emblem for a state whose orchards produce some of the nation's finest apples. The delicate white and pink blossoms burst open across Michigan orchards in spring, a signal that the growing season has truly arrived. The choice honors the agricultural heart of the state and the beauty of a Michigan spring. While apple blossoms are too delicate to use as a cut flower, their soft pink and white palette inspires many local spring arrangements, and our designers echo that orchard look with tulips, cherry blossoms, and spirea.
State flowers as gift themes
State flowers offer a heartfelt theme for someone moving away, returning home, or celebrating their roots. A going away gift built around a home state's flower carries real sentiment. Popular examples include California's golden poppy, Texas's bluebonnet, and Hawaii's yellow hibiscus. Some state flowers, like the sunflower of Kansas, translate easily into cut arrangements, while others are shrubs or wildflowers that inspire a palette rather than a literal bouquet. Either way, the theme makes a gift feel grounded in place and personal history.
Planning Tips From Our Designers
- Use the rose for patriotic and distinctly American themes since it is the national flower.
- Echo Michigan's apple blossom with pink and white spring blooms like tulips and spirea.
- Build a going away gift around someone's home state flower for a personal touch.
- Check whether a state flower is a cut flower or a shrub before ordering.
- Pair a state flower theme with the state's colors for extra meaning.
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