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State Flowers

State Flower of Wisconsin

Flower: Wood Violet (Viola Papilionacea)

Superintendent of Public Instruction C.P. Cary was instrumental in adopting Wisconsin’s state flower. Wisconsin’s school children would be invited to vote for their favorite flowers, and the most popular would be announced.

The first vote, held in 1908, yielded four finalists: the trailing arbutus, violet, white water lily, and wild rose. The final campaign in 1909 was won by the violet, with the wild rose took second place followed by the arbutus and water lily. But the violet reigned only as Wisconsin’s unofficial state flower. It hadn’t been officially adopted. Wisconsin’s wood violet became official on June 4, 1949.