State trees: Rooted in local history

Treaties in the trees

Trees make up a large part of American history, from Christmas trees during the holidays, to the time-honored story of the treaty in the white oak. A great, white oak in Hartford, Connecticut, once hid in its hollowed bark the charter for the colony, to protect from those who wanted the rights of the colony to be given back to England.

Natural history
Tennessee's Tulip Poplar grows from one end of the long state to the other. California's Redwood forests are havens for botanical tourists, or even those just curious about the tallest trees in the country, big enough at the base to drive a truck through. Nebraska and Wyoming's official state tree, the Cottonwood, blankets the ground every spring with tender, white fluffs of seeds. Delaware's American Holly brightens up the holidays with its beautiful, red and green berry groupings.

Every state tree, except for Hawaii's Kukui tree, was a staple in each state, thus leading to its adoption. A representation of the state's pride and history, the state tree is a symbol of growth, power, stability, and sturdiness.

Popular State Trees
Texas was the first state to ever adopt a state tree, choosing the Pecan in 1919. Other states quickly followed, with Rhode Island being the last in 1964 with its Red Maple.

But the most popular state trees are the sugar maple and white oak; both trees were each adopted in four different states. The white oak is a fantastic source of hardwood for builders, but its sturdiness, beauty, and longevity have made it an easy choice for Iowa, Maryland, Connecticut, and Illinois.

Sap and sugar can be extracted from Sugar Maples, the state tree for West Virginia, Wisconsin, New York, and Vermont. Native Americans taught settlers how to extract the delicious sap, and to use it for flavoring and potash.

State Tree List

• Alabama: Southern Longleaf Pine
• Alaska: Sitka Spruce
• Arizona: Palo Verdi
• Arkansas: Pine
• California: California Redwood
• Colorado: Colorado Blue Spruce
• Connecticut: White Oak
• Delaware: American Holly
• Florida: Sabal Palmetto Palm
• Georgia: Live Oak
• Hawaii: Kukui Tree
• Idaho: White Pine
• Illinois: White Oak
• Indiana: Tulip Tree
• Iowa: Oak
• Kansas: Eastern Cottonwood
• Kentucky: Tulip Poplar
• Louisiana: Bald Cypress
• Maine: White Pine
• Maryland: White Oak
• Massachusetts: American Elm
• Michigan: White Pine
• Minnesota: Red Pine
• Mississippi: Magnolia
• Missouri: Flowering Dogwood
• Montana: Ponderosa Pine
• Nebraska: Cottonwood