Which state flower gets your vote?

Features

Related Photos

Mark Emmons Photography

November 4, 2008

By Phil Beatty The McAlester News-Capital Tue Nov 04, 2008, 10:23 AM CST

From time to time I like to write about state flowers. In the past I’ve written about Texas, Tennessee, Wyoming, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Connecticut. It’s time to look at Arizona, Alaska and Michigan.

The Arizona state flower is the blossom of the saguaro cactus which typically blooms in May and June.

There may be hundreds of flowers on a saguaro cactus that bloom just several at a time over a period of more than a month.

The saguaro flowers have a short life; they open at night and close permanently during the next day. Many of the blossoms will become pollinated and, later in the summer, the flowers become red-fleshed fruits that turn the state red. The Saguaro is a large, tree-sized cactus species that grows to old age and serves it state well in its conservative nature. It has a stately no non-sense look. The spines give it a strong defense which seems to strengthen with age.

The cactus can serve about anywhere in the state and has sometimes been labeled a “maverick”.

The Alaska state flower is the Alpine forget-me-not or Myosotis alpestris. It was chosen in 1949. The alpine forget-me-not is a perennial that grows 5 to 12 inches high in alpine meadows. Their conservative nature gives back many of its resources to the state. The flowers are very showy with a feminine appeal.

The sky blue flowers are a quarter to a third of an inch wide. They have a white inner ring and a yellow center which gives it an appearance of a rich wardrobe. It grows in Alaska’s Denali National Park with its attractive rugged but feminine appeal.

The Delaware state flower is the peach blossom or Prunus persica. When I think of peaches I think of Georgia but Delaware has its share. In fact, the state of Delaware encourages the planting of the state tree to spread the wealth of the peach tree. The peach tree is native to China but a horticulturist by the name of George Minifie supposedly brought the first peaches from England to the United States in the early seventeenth century, planting them on the east coast. The flowers are produced in early spring before the leaves.

They are solitary or paired, pink, with five petals. Peaches, along with cherries, plums and apricots, are known as stone fruits.

A little trivia is that peach trees are the second most commonly cultivated fruit trees in the world after apple trees and can be found in Washington, D.C. where they are only second to the cherry trees. Some say they are considered a Washington insider tree.

So there you have it, the Arizona saguaro cactus blossom and the Alaska Alpine forget-me-not. If you had to choose which one would it be?

Phil Beatty is a special correspondent for the McAlester News-Capital. Contact him at phil_beatty@yahoo.com.

Text Only

Features

Local singer ready to go national
Singer Joanie Brooks has a song in her heart — and she’s ready to share it with the nation.

February 11, 2012 2 Photos
10 most romantic hotels in the U.S.
Valentine’s Day will be here soon, and a romantic getaway may be just what the heart needs. TripAdvisor has released its list of the 10 most romantic hotels in the country, based on travelers’ reviews about the beautiful scenery, friendly staffs and romantic amenities like hot tubs and fireplaces.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Viral video: Grizzly bear cub, wolf cub play together
It’s like something out of a children's book: A bear cub meets a wolf cub and they become the best of friends. Even though they are different species and ferocious predators, the unlikely couple stays pals for life.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Globetrotters stop into McAlester for World Championship game
On Monday, the Harlem Globetrotters chose McAlester as a stop on their World Championship Tour.

February 7, 2012 23 Photos 1 Story
McAlester soldier saw 511 days of combat in World War II
Andrew “Andy” Jackson Crittenden got to see Europe as a young man — along with his fellow GI’s who fought their way across Italy, France and Germany in some of World War II’s fiercest battles.

February 4, 2012 2 Photos
Sneak peek at this year's hottest Super Bowl ads
The Super Bowl is a must-watch TV event, if not for the outcome of the biggest football game of the year, then at least for the multi-million dollar commercials that run throughout. And this year’s buzzworthy spots include celebrity appearances, homages to movies and lots of humor.

February 3, 2012 1 Photo
VIDEO: NFL Experience a hit with Super Bowl fans
The NFL's interactive theme park pre-sold more than 65,000 tickets for Super Bowl week and has become the destination of choice for visitors to Indianapolis.

February 3, 2012 1 Photo
SLIDESHOW: Madonna hypes Super Bowl halftime show Madonna answers questions from the media during a news conference to hype the halftime show for Super Bowl XLVI.
February 2, 2012
SLIDESHOW: Super Bowl by the numbers The nation's biggest sporting event produces some staggering statistics, from the number of chicken wings consumed -- 1.25 billion -- to the amount of money some people plan to bet on the game.
February 2, 2012
VIDEO: Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction
More than 18,000 people descended on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney for the annual Groundhog Day celebration.

February 2, 2012 1 Photo
More Features Headlines

It's awards season? Which 85th Academy Award nominated movie for Best Picture is your fave?

Features

Search Results

Related Photos

Which state flower gets your vote?

It's awards season? Which 85th Academy Award nominated movie for Best Picture is your fave?

Site Map

Contact Us