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State Flowers

State Flower of Washington

Flower: Pink Rhododendron (Rhododendron Macrophyllum)

The 1893 World’s Fair was held in Chicago, and delegates were invited from each state. The visitors were advised that it would be nice if they had an official flower to decorate their booths with.

Two flowers led the pack. The clover and the rhododendron. The state flower, it was decided, would be chosen in an election open only to women. Ballots were distributed in post offices, drugstores, hotels, and other public business places. Fifteen thousand ballots were counted, fifty-three percent favoring the rhododendron.

The senate confirmed the new floral emblem on February 10, 1893. But it wasn’t until February 10, 1949 that both houses of the legislature made it official.