The state of Florida has numerous symbols defined by state statutes. The majority of the symbols were chosen after 1950; only the two oldest symbols—the state flower (chosen in 1909), and the state bird (chosen in 1927), and the state nickname (chosen in 1970)—are not listed in the 2010 Florida Statutes.[1] Under the Statutes, all state symbols fall under the purview of the Executive Branch (Title IV), Secretary of State (Chapter 15), as part of the secretary's role as "Chief Cultural Officer".[2]
A red saltire (diagonal cross) on a white background, with the seal of Florida superimposed on the center. The current flag was adopted in 1985, when the state seal was last changed. The basic design, however, dates back to 1900, when the design was approved by voters in a constitutional amendment.[3]
Pascua Florida (Flowery Easter) is usually celebrated on April 2, unless the 2nd falls on a weekend. When it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the governor may declare either the preceding Friday or following Monday as the state day. According to the 2007 Florida Senate Statutes, the Governor of Florida may annually issue a proclamation designating April 2 as the state day and designating the week of March 27 to April 2 as Pascua Florida week. Pascua Florida commemorates the discovery of Florida by Juan Ponce de León on April 2, 1513.
The use of "Sunshine State" has been in place since 1949, when it first appeared on license plates. The nickname was made official by the state legislature in 1970.
The seal has evolved since 1868, although the basic elements have remained consistent. Florida statute states: "The great seal of the state shall be of the size of the American silver dollar, having in the center thereof a view of the sun's rays over a highland in the distance, a sabal palmetto palm tree, a steamboat on water, and an Indian female scattering flowers in the foreground, encircled by the words 'Great Seal of the State of Florida: In God We Trust.'"[7] The most recent revisions were made in 1985.[8]
The fragrant blossoms of the orange tree also represent the largest portion of the state's agriculture industry, which stands behind only tourism as a proportion of the state's economy.
The sabal palmetto is native to all of Florida, and has been widely used as both a landscape plant and as a food source; hearts of palm are the bud of the tree.
The Florida panther is a critically endangered subspecies of the cougar native to southern Florida. While its numbers have rebounded from a low of about 25 in the early 1990s, there are only about 100 alive in the wild.[12]
The northern mockingbird, native throughout Florida year-round, is also the state bird for four other southern states. Legislation was introduced in 2023 to change it to the flamingo.[14]
The zebra longwing is a common sight in Florida; the adult butterfly has a long lifespan because it consumes pollen as well as nectar, extending its lifespan from roughly two weeks to about three months.[16]
The largemouth bass is a sought-after sportfish, which is also the state (freshwater) fish for four other states. The Florida subspecies has smaller scales and grows larger than the northern subspecies.[18]
The Atlantic sailfish is sometimes known as Istiophorus albicans,[20] but the Florida legislature used the nomenclature I. Platypterus in the statute naming the state's salt water fish.
The statute naming the manatee as the state marine mammal did not identify the specific species, but the Florida manatee subspecies is the only one normally found in Florida waters.[25]
The statute naming the porpoise as the state saltwater mammal did not identify the specific species, but it is generally believed that the reference was intended to recognize the bottlenose dolphin.[27] Dolphins are dark gray on top, and very pale gray on their underside, and range in length from 6 to 13 feet.
Florida is one of the world's two largest nesting areas for the loggerhead sea turtle.[29] The turtle is a large (up to 7 feet) and heavy (up to 350 lbs) reptile with yellowish-to-brown skin and a reddish-brown shell.
The horse conch is one of the largest univalves in the world, capable of reaching a length of 24 inches. The young shells are often orange, while older specimens are usually greyish-white. They are found along the entire coast of Florida, in intertidal flats and coastal areas to a depth of 20 feet.
Moonstone does not occur in Florida, but after the Apollo 11 mission, in which astronauts launched from Cape Canaveral landed on the moon, the state legislature chose to commemorate the mission by designating the moonstone as the state gemstone.[33]
Oranges are the most valuable agricultural product of the state, and over 95% of Florida's orange production is processed, the vast majority of which becomes orange juice.[40]
Plant City, Florida annually hosts the Florida Strawberry Festival, where strawberry shortcakes are the signature dessert, and the region's strawberries account for 75% of the United States' winter strawberry crop. Specifically, a shortcake topped with sliced strawberries and "natural Florida dairy topping" (whipped cream) is designated the official state dessert.
"El Festival de la Calle Ocho" (the Calle Ocho Festival) is a one-day rumba (fiesta) held at the end of the Miami Carnaval. The Calle Ocho Festival is held in March on Calle Ocho in Little Havana, Miami (Southwest 8th Street from 27th Avenue and 4th Avenue).[43]
Housed at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, the Florida Citrus Archives are an extensive collection of citrus related materials, believed by many in the citrus industry to be the largest collection of its kind.[46]
Key lime pie (traditionally made with Key limes from the Florida Keys) is made with condensed milk, which does not require refrigeration, an important consideration in the Keys before the widespread availability of refrigeration. Prior to the construction of the Overseas Railroad, fresh milk was a rare commodity. Key lime pie made with Key limes (as opposed to Persian limes) is pale yellow, not green.
Cross and Sword, a pageant based on the play written by Paul Green, is a dramatization of the Spanish colonization of St. Augustine, Florida, the nation's first city. The stories of Pedro Menéndez, Jean Ribault, and Father López, some of Florida's earliest European settlers, are told.[49]
Founded in 1956, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum was built on the grounds of the former Naval Air Station Richmond in Miami, Florida. The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is one of three official state railroad museums in Florida.[53]
From 1913–1935, the state song was "Florida, My Florida," by Rev. Dr. C. V. Waugh, sung to the tune of "O Tannenbaum."[56] Stephen Foster named the song "Old Folks at Home" but it is often referred to as "Swanee River."[57]
A The state song was originally selected through a House Concurrent resolution in 1935,[57] but was defined by statute (with revised lyrics) in 2008.[59]
^"The Florida State Seal". Cultural, Historical, and Information Programs. Office of Cultural and Historical Programs, State of Florida. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
^"Florida State Symbols:State Flower". Cultural, Historical, and Information Programs. Office of Cultural and Historic Programs, State of Florida. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
^"Florida State Symbols:State Bird". Cultural, Historical, and Information Programs. Office of Cultural and Historic Programs, State of Florida. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
^"Moonstone: Florida state symbols". Cultural, Historical, and Information Programs. Office of Cultural and Historical Programs, State of Florida. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
