Do you know North Carolina's official state symbols?
Do you know North Carolina's official state symbols?
Each state in America boasts its own culture, history, and natural beauty. To represent such diversity, people from these states have chosen their own set of symbols and customs. Specific flags, songs, mottos, flowers, and even fruits commemorate the uniqueness of individual states. Some of these symbols border on the bizarre: Texas, for example, has made the Dutch oven its official state cooking pot. Other symbols are more universal, like state birds.
Many people remember learning about their states' history back in elementary school. But can you still remember your state bird? How about your state flower? To test your state knowledge, Stacker compiled a list of symbols in North Carolina.
Clue: North Carolina state fish
Clue (freshwater): These fish are sometimes known as specs, thanks to their unique spots. Found in the state's mountain streams, this favorite of sport fishermen is the only freshwater fish of its entire species that's native to North Carolina.
Clue (saltwater): Most fish of this kind max out around 30 or 40 pounds, but some of the biggest can reach 75 pounds. The reddish fish is known for its strength and has become a popular cajun delicacy.
Answer: North Carolina state fish
Answer: Southern Appalachian brook trout (freshwater), channel bass (saltwater)
Clue: North Carolina state mammal
This state has two official mammals. One is the gray squirrel. The other is the only marsupial found in North America. They’re most renowned for their habit of “playing dead” when threatened. They can hang from branches using their prehensile tails and have a clawless toe that works much like an opposable thumb.
Answer: North Carolina state mammal
- State mammals: Gray squirrel, Virginia opossum
Clue: North Carolina state song
North Carolina's state song was widely popular and served as the unofficial state song since the time it was written in 1835. It wasn't written into law, however, until 1927.
Answer: North Carolina state song
- Answer: "The Old North State"
Clue: North Carolina state insect
State insect: This species has been part of commerce since at least 1622 when populations were shipped from Britain to Virginia. World War I increased its commercialization, through establishing further developed highways and popularizing motor vehicle use.
State butterfly: This insect is known to engage in puddling, a practice in which they gather in puddles, mud, or on damp gravel. In doing so, they can extract sodium ions and amino acids from their environment, which can be used later in reproduction.
Answer: North Carolina state insect
- State insect: European honey bee (Apis mellifera)
- State butterfly: Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Clue: North Carolina state tree
North Carolina is unique: It doesn’t actually have a state tree, but instead has a state genus, or group of tree species. The group is a conifer which grows across the state, well-adapted to both sandy and acidic soils, and these trees have historically been important for North Carolina’s lumber industry and naval stores of turpentine and pitch.
Answer: North Carolina state tree
Answer: Pine (Pinus)
Clue: North Carolina state bird
Likely one of the first birds American children learn to spot in their backyards, this bright and beloved bird is the favorite of many states. The species' signature red color and spiky hairdos are hard to miss.
Answer: North Carolina state bird
Answer: Northern cardinal
Clue: North Carolina state flower
Common in North Carolina, the state's flower can be found from the coast all the way to the mountains. This flower is around for the entirety of the year, changing its appearance each season. Less of a flower and more like a tree with flowers, this can grow up to 30 to 40 feet at its maturity.
Answer: North Carolina state flower
Answer: Dogwood
