Do you know Texas's official state symbols?
Do you know Texas'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 Texas.
Clue: Texas state fish
Clue: This fish is native only to the swift-moving streams in the Texas Central Hill Country, which is home to the headwaters of the Colorado, Guadalupe, and San Antonio rivers. Powerful but small, it's actually a member of the sunfish family.
Answer: Texas state fish
Answer: Guadalupe bass
Clue: Texas state mammal
Texas has three official mammals, two of which are the Texas longhorn and Mexican free-tailed bat. The third is the only member of its armor-covered family that lives in North America. They almost always have litters of four identical quadruplets, and they’re the only animal aside from humans that carries leprosy, so they’re used to study the disease.
Answer: Texas state mammal
- State mammals: Nine-banded armadillo, Texas longhorn, Mexican free-tailed bat
Clue: Texas state song
The Texas state song was officially adopted in 1929 but was altered in 1959. The revision changed the word "largest" to "boldest" when geographically bigger Alaska was admitted as a state.
Answer: Texas state song
- Answer: "Texas, Our Texas"
Clue: Texas state insect
This species’ range extends from southern Canada to northern Southern America, as well as in Australia, the Philippines, North Africa, and occasionally the U.K. It is lucky enough to have barely any predators.
Answer: Texas state insect
- State insect: Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Clue: Texas state tree
Like its neighbor New Mexico, Texas’ state tree honors a producer of nuts; the tree’s (and nut’s) name comes from an Algonquian word meaning “a nut that it takes a stone to crack.” This tree has grown in Texas since prehistoric times and, today, is the key ingredient in one of the state’s favorite pies.
Answer: Texas state tree
Answer: Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
Clue: Texas state bird
Texas may be one of the biggest states in the nation, but its state bird is of modest size. The chatty songbird is common across America and has vocal abilities that stand in contrast to its muted colors.
Answer: Texas state bird
Answer: Northern mockingbird
Clue: Texas state flower
Adopted by Texas in 1901, this flower is named for its distinct color and shape. During the 1930s, the state's highway department had the initiative to plant more of these flowers along highways. This wildflower is celebrated once a year in Texas every April 24.
Answer: Texas state flower
Answer: Bluebonnet
