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State Flowers

State Flower of New Hampshire

Flower: Purple Lilac (Syringa Vulgaris)

The purple lilac became known as the flower of the home. In New Hampshire, it blooms in every town, village and city and on many farms. Rochester, New Hampshire, is known as the Lilac City. The lilac is the flower that school children used to bring to their teachers.

The hardy shrub is symbolic of the hardy character of New Hampshire residents. Two sisters, Mrs. Marietta C. Wright and Mrs. Josephine A. Joslin of Etna and Surry, promoted the lilac as state flower. On their behalf, Representative Charles B. Drake introduced a bill to name the lilac New Hampshire’s state flower on January 9, 1919. A vote was taken between the lilac and the primrose. The lilac was adopted as New Hampshire’s state flower on March 28, 1919.