Georgia State Symbols

Undoubtedly the most famous and well known of all the Georgia State Symbols, the Peach became the official state fruit in 1995. Georgia has been called the Peach State for quite some time because of the delicious peaches that are grown here!

In 1979, the Azalea became the state wildflower. Azaleas can be found covering much of our state and come in a variety of colors. These flowers bloom from March until August. An interesting thing about these lovely flowers is that they are actually mildly poisonous!!! When these flowers are eaten by animals, they can cause stomach and heart problems.

Our state’s official vegetable, the Vidalia Onion, is internationally known as the “world’s sweetest onion.” The interesting thing about these onions is that when the seeds are planted anywhere other than the areas surrounding Vidalia and Glennville they produce a normal hot onion. In fact, onions grown anywhere else in the world cannot be called Vidalia Onions- the name is attached to the location in which it is grown.

Our state reptile, the Gopher Tortoise, is one of the oldest living species native to Georgia! The group of land tortoises that it belongs to originated in North America over 60 million years ago!!! The Gopher Tortoise digs burrows up to 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep, which provides shelter for the tortoise and more than 3 dozen other animal species. This is another one of our symbols who’s population is declining. In Georgia, the Gopher Tortoise is categorized as a Threatened Species- they are also listed that way in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. In Florida the Gopher Tortoise is considered a Species of Special Concern, South Carolina lists the species as Endangered! The Gopher Tortoise was designated as Georgia’s official Reptile in 1989.

The Green Tree Frog became Georgia's State Amphibian during the 2005 legislative session, making it the newest state symbol. The idea for this bill came from kids just like you!! The Green Tree Frog was chosen because it has very porous skin and can't live in a heavily polluted environment. The class hoped that it would draw the public's attention to pollution. Even kids can make a difference!!

The Live Oak has been around since the first settlers of Georgia came here. They are especially abundant on Georgia’s coast and islands. It became the official State Tree in 1937. The natural curves of these trees made them ideal for ship building during the early days of Georgia’s settlement.

Yep!! One of your breakfast favorites, grits, is the official State Prepared Food of Georgia!! The dish was chosen in 2002 because its made from corn, which is one of Georgia’s chief crops.

Did you know that nearly half of the peanut crop in the United States is grown right here in Georgia? Georgia has 14,418 farms with peanuts and about 5,000 active farmers. Sylvester Georgia is the peanut capitol of the world!!!! The peanut was adopted as our state crop in 1995.

The Tiger Swallowtail became Georgia’s official state butterfly in 1988. Its bright yellow and black markings make it one of the most beautiful butterflies in Georgia.

In 1970, the Brown Thrasher became the state bird of Georgia. Much like the Green Tree Frog, this animal, too was chosen by students. The Brown Thrasher can be found in neighborhoods and fields throughout Georgia. These birds eat lots of different things, like bugs, small animals, fruit and nuts. Brown Thrashers have long curved beaks that help them find food.

The Cherokee Rose became the official State Flower of Georgia in 1916, making it the second oldest state symbol next to the State Seal. Its name comes from the Cherokee Indians who lived in Georgia many, many years ago. There is an Indian legend about this flower. According to the Cherokees, when the Trail of Tears started in 1838, the mothers of the Cherokee were crying so much that they were unable to help their children survive the long, hard journey. The elders prayed for a sign that would life the mother’s spirits to give them strength. The next day a beautiful rose began to grow where each of the mother’s tears fell. The rose is white for tears; a gold center represents the gold taken from Cherokee lands, and seven leaves on each stem for the seven Cherokee clans. The wild Cherokee Rose grows along the route of the Trail of Tears into eastern Oklahoma still today.

The Honeybee is not only the state insect of Georgia,

but its also the state insect of Kansas, Arkansas, Maine,

Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina,

Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and

Wisconsin!!

Quite a popular insect!!

The honeybee was chosen as our state insect in 1975

because of its contributions to Georgia through honey

production and helping with agriculture pollination.

The Bobwhite Quail has been Georgia’s official State Game Bird since 1970. These birds have become increasingly popular to hunt in Georgia and their population is quite large.

With fishing being so popular in Georgia, it seems only fitting that we have a State Fish. In 1970, the Largemouth Bass became the state fish. These fish are among the most sought after in Georgia- at one time- the world’s largest Largemouth Bass was caught in Georgia!

FOR MORE STATE SYMBOLS, CLICK HERE.