Tree: Plains cottonwood
Latin name: Populus deltoides variety monilifera
This subspecies of the eastern cottonwood was declared the state's official tree in 1947, but in 1961 an amendment was made to change the scientific name Populus deltoides variety monilifera.
Sources: (State Symbols USA) (50States)
See also: These are the state birds of the USA
Tree: Sugar maple
Latin name: Acer saccharum
The sugar maple was named the state tree of West Virginia in 1949, following a vote by public school students and civic organizations.
Tree: Western hemlock
Latin name: Tsuga heterophylla
The western hemlock has been Washington's official state tree since 1947.
Tree: Flowering dogwood
Latin name: Cornus florida
Virginia designated flowering dogwood as the official state tree in 1956, but named it the state's official state flower back in 1918.
Tree: Sugar maple
Latin name: Acer saccharum
The sugar maple, also known as hard maple or rock maple, was named the state tree of Vermont in 1949.
Tree: Sugar maple
Latin name: Acer saccharum
Yet another state where sugar maple was designated the official state tree. Schoolchildren voted twice for the tree; first in 1893, and then again in 1948. The sugar maple was officially adopted as Wisconsin's state tree in 1949.
Tree: Black Hills Spruce
Latin name: Picea glauca
Black Hills white spruce was named South Dakota's official state tree in 1947. The tree can be found all across northeastern United States (including Alaska), as well as Canada.
Tree: Quaking aspen
Latin name: Populus tremuloides
The quaking aspen replaced the blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm) as Utah's official state tree in 2014.
Tree: Sabal palmetto
Latin name: Inodes Palmetto
This species of palm tree has been South Carolina's official state tree since 1939. The tree symbolizes the defeat of the British fleet at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island.
Tree: Pecan tree
Latin name: Carya illinoensis
The pecan tree was adopted as the official state tree of Texas in 1919.
Tree: Eastern hemlock
Latin name: Tsunga canadensis
The Eastern hemlock, also known as Canada hemlock or hemlock spruce, has been the official state tree of Pennsylvania since 1931. It was used by early settlers to build log cabins and for tanning leather (it's a source of tannic acid).
Tree: Douglas fir
Latin name: Pseudotsuga menziesii
Oregon named the Douglas fir its official state tree in 1939. In 2005, the metasequoia (dawn redwood) was designated the state fossil.
Tree: Red maple
Latin name: Acer rubrum
This iconic Rhode Island tree was voted in as the state tree by Rhode Island school children in the 1890s. However, it was only officially named the state's tree in 1964.
Tree: Redbud
Latin name: Cercis canadensis
The state designated the redbud as the official state tree in 1937. Redbud tree flowers are not only beautiful, but are also edible.
Tree: Sugar maple
Latin name: Acer saccharum
The state of New York adopted the sugar maple as its official state tree in 1956. Sap from these trees is famously used to make maple syrup.
Tree: Pine tree
Latin name: Pinus
The pine tree (no specific type) was named the state's official tree in 1963. There are eight types of pine tree native to North Carolina.
Tree: Pinyon pine
Latin name: Pinus edulis
The tree, also known as piñon pine, nut pine, and two-needle piñon, among other descriptions, has been the official state tree since 1948.
Tree: White birch
Latin name: Betula papyrifera
The state adopted the white birch as its official tree in 1947. Native Americans used its bark to make canoes and writing paper.
Tree: Ponderosa pine
Latin name: Pinus ponderosa
Montana officially named the Ponderosa pine as the state tree in 1949 but was originally selected by Montana schoolchildren way before, in 1908.
Tree: Magnolia
Latin name: Magnolia grandiflora
"The Magnolia State" named magnolia its official state tree in 1952. Mississippi also named it as the state flower in 1900.
Tree: Bristlecone pine
Latin name: Pinus longaeva
Bristlecone pine replaced the single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla) as the official state tree of Nevada in 1987.
Tree: Northern red oak
Latin name: Quercus borealis maxima
This beautiful tree was named New Jersey's official tree in 1950. The state also has an official memorial tree, which is the dogwood (Cornus Florida).
Tree: Cottonwood
Latin name: Populus deltoides
Cottonwood replaced the American elm (Ulmus Americana L.) as the official state tree of Nebraska in 1972.
Tree: Flowering dogwood
Latin name: Cornus Florida L.
Missouri designated this beautiful flowering tree as their official state tree in 1955.
Tree: Eastern white pine
Latin name: Pinus strobus
Michigan named the Eastern white pine as the official state tree in 1955. The tree is regarded as a symbol of the state's logging history.
Tree: American elm
Latin name: Ulmus americana
The American elm has been the official state tree of Massachusetts since 1941. It celebrates the story of George Washington assuming command of the Continental Army under an American elm tree in 1775.
Tree: White oak
Latin name: Quercus alba
Maryland named white oak the official state tree in 1941. These can be found all across the state, as well as other regions of eastern North America.
Tree: Bald cypress
Latin name: Taxodium distichum
Louisiana's iconic swamp tree was officially adopted as a symbol of the state in 1963.
Tree: Eastern white pine
Latin name: Pinus strobus
"The Pine Tree State" designated the Eastern white pine as the official state tree in 1945. And the state's official "flower" is the white pine cone and tassel.
Tree: Red pine
Latin name: Pinus resinosa
The state adopted the red pine as the official tree in 1953 because of "the sturdiness and majesty of the tree, and how it helped lay the foundation for the wealth of Minnesota."
Tree: Tulip poplar
Latin name: Lirodendroan tulipifera
Named the state's official tree in 1994, the tulip poplar is the tallest eastern hardwood tree.
Tree: Kukui
Latin name: Aleurites moluccana
The kukui, also known as candlenut tree, was brought to Hawaii from Polynesia. It has been the state's official tree since 1959.
Tree: Western white pine
Latin name: Pinus Monticola pinaceae
This tree, also known as the soft Idaho white pine, or simply Idaho white pine, was adopted as the official state tree in 1935.
Tree: Tulip poplar
Latin name: Liriodendron tulipifera
The tulip poplar was named the official state tree of Indiana in 1931.
Tree: Cottonwood
Latin name: Populus deltoides
Cottonwood has been the official state tree of Kansas since 1937. The poplar species are one of the largest North American hardwood trees.
Tree: Oak
Latin name: Quercus
The oak was adopted as Iowa's official state tree in 1961. Oak is also the national tree of the United States.
Tree: White oak
Latin name: Quercus alba
The white oak has been the state's official tree since 1973. It was chosen based on the results of a poll of 900,000 schoolchildren.
Tree: Sabal palm
Latin name: Sabal palmetto
Florida adopted the sabal palm tree as the official state tree in 1953. These robust trees are often found near the coast.
Tree: American holly
Latin name: Ilex opaca Aiton
The American holly, also known as Christmas holly, was named Delaware's official tree in 1939. The tree can reach 18 m (60 ft) in height.
Tree: Live oak
Latin name: Quercus virginiana
This iconic southern tree has been Georgia's official state tree since 1937.
Tree: The Charter Oak (White Oak)
Latin name: Quercus albus
The Charter Oak was an ancient white oak tree that fell during a storm in 1856. It has been a symbol of the state ever since.
Tree: Colorado blue spruce
Latin name: Picea pungens
On Arbor Day 1892, Colorado school children voted the blue spruce as the state tree. In 1939, blue spruce was officially declared the state's tree.
Tree: California Redwood
Latin name: Sequoia sempervirens and Sequoiadendron giganteum
Redwood has been the state's official tree since 1937. Both the coast redwood and the giant sequoia can be found in California.
Tree: Palo verde
Latin name: Genera cercidium
Arizona's state tree since 1954, the Palo Verde (Spanish for "green stick") is native to Arizona's Sonoran Desert.
Tree: Sitka spruce
Latin name: Picea sitchensis
This tall conifer was named Alaska's official state tree in 1962.
Tree: Pine
Latin name: Genera cercidium
Arkansas adopted the pine tree as the official state tree in 1939. There are four native species of pine in the state.
Tree: Southern longleaf pine
Latin name: Pinus palustris P. Mill.
Alabama adopted the southern longleaf pine as its official tree in 1949. But it wasn't until 1997 that the exact species (Pinus palustris P. Mill.) was specified.
Tree: Ohio buckeye
Latin name: Aesculus glabra
The Ohio buckeye was named the official state tree in 1953. Ohio is also known as "The Buckeye State."
Tree: American elm
Latin name: Ulmus Americana
The American elm has been the official state tree since 1947. Sadly, a large percentage of these trees were killed off by Dutch elm disease (DED).
Tree: Tulip poplar
Latin name: Liriodendron Tulipifera
The tulip poplar was named the official state tree of Tennessee in 1947. Tennessee also recognizes other trees as symbols of the state, namely the eastern red cedar and the yellowwood.
Trees are abundant across the United States, but each state has proudly named one specific species to represent it. We are talking about official state trees. While we've previously listed every official state flower in the US, it's time now to showcase trees. Many of these were adopted as state symbols decades ago, and continue to be their state's pride and joy to this day. In this gallery you'll get to know every official state tree in the nation, along with its story. Growing an intertest?
Click though and find out more.
The official trees of every US state
Do you know yours?
LIFESTYLE Usa
Trees are abundant across the United States, but each state has proudly named one specific species to represent it. We are talking about official state trees. While we've previously listed every official state flower in the US, it's time now to showcase trees. Many of these were adopted as state symbols decades ago, and continue to be their state's pride and joy to this day. In this gallery you'll get to know every official state tree in the nation, along with its story. Growing an intertest?
Click though and find out more.