The State Flowers of New England

New England is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. The climate ranges for mild summers into moderate winters. There are five states in New England, all with their own special features. Maine is still mostly pine forest and rural areas, with a long rocky coastline, but has a few up and coming small cities like Portland, which has tons of small breweries. New Hampshire has the White Mountain national Forest, Vermont is green, mountainous, and the home of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. Connecticut is probably the most urban of the five, along with Rhode Island; Rhode Island is the smallest state in the US. Each state has a state flower that was chosen for its significance to the state.

Maine's state flower is the pine cone and tassel. Some people might not think it's a flower, but technically, it is. It's fitting that a state that is so covered with evergreen forest claimed the pine cone as its state flower, too. It's been the state flower since 1885, and if you want to find one, it's super easy - just walk under any pine tree!

New Hampshire claims the purple lilac as its state flower. It's not native to the US - it was imported here by Governor Wentworth in 1750. it's been the state flower since 1919. The lilac has a lovely smell, and the bush can grow into an impressive tree with big bunches of the little purple flowers. It blossoms in the springtime.

Vermont has the red clover as its state flower, and has since 1895. They grow everywhere, especially in big open fields, and some people might think of them as the flowers from Bambi that Thumper was scolded for eating without the greens!

Connecticut's state flower has been the mountain laurel since 1907. It's a native American plants, and grows in a shrub; the flowers are pink and white, and smell great! John Smith actually mentioned them in his "General History," so they've been catching the eye since the 1600s!

Rhode Island chose the common blue violet as their state flower in 1968, so it's the newest of all the new England state flowers. It was the last state to claim a flower for its own, though the violet was commonly considered their flower, anyhow. Blue violets grow everywhere, but it's fun to find them in the woods, where you don't really expect flowers.

Sources
http://www.50states.com/flower/newhampshire.htm
http://www.50states.com/flower/vermont.htm
http://www.50states.com/flower/connecticut.htm
http://www.50states.com/flower/rhodeisland.htm
http://www.50states.com/flower/maine.htm
http://www.ri.gov/facts/factsfigures.php
http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=885&q=246494