Louisiana state symbols (2024)

FAQs

What is the Louisiana state symbol? ›

The brown pelican is Louisiana's official bird. Pelicans are famous for their large bill, the lower portion of which has a pouch that can be greatly extended. The state tree is the bald cypress.

With small eyes and thick black fur, the state mammal, the black bear, can be found in swamps, coastal marches and sugarcane fields near the Atchafalaya Basin.

The fleur-de-lis was adopted as Louisiana's official state symbol by the Legislature in 2008. Rooted in French culture, the stylized lily is used as a decorative design derived from the yellow, six-petaled lillies and the way they bend.

Each state and union territory has a unique set of official symbols, usually a state emblem, an animal, a bird, a flower and a tree. A second animal (fish, butterfly, reptile, aquatic animal or heritage animal) sometimes appears, as do fruits and other plants, and there are some state songs and state mottos.

So why did the Cajuns who settled in France choose to embrace the fleur de lis? The symbol was tied to their faith — most of the Acadians were Catholics — before it was tied to French royalty. The fleur de lis was on many French flags, and the Acadians retained loyalty to their old country.

Brown pelican

Louisiana / State bird

The official state gemstone shall be the cabochon cut gemstone, derived from the Crassostrea virginica mollusk predominantly found in the waters of coastal Louisiana. Its use on official documents of the state and with the insignia of the state is hereby authorized.

There are several endemic plants and animals in Louisiana that are found nowhere else on Earth; an example could be the Louisiana bluestar or the white leucistic alligator. The Pearl River map turtle and the ringed map turtle are only found in Louisiana and neighboring State of Mississippi.

Louisiana and neighboring Mississippi both chose the magnolia as their state flower in 1900. Louisiana made its flower official on August 1, 1900. It has reigned peacefully ever since, except for a challenge in 1950.

What fruit represents Louisiana? ›

Louisiana's official colors are: Blue.

The Great Seal also includes two other state symbols: the grizzly bear and the state motto “Eureka.”. The Seal's 31 stars symbolize California's admission into the Union in 1850 as the 31st state. The State Seal is stamped on official documents including California driver's licenses.

There are many countries in the world, and the symbols that each county picks helps distinguish them from other countries. You can add others, but the American symbols suggested to focus on are: the U.S. flag, the Statue of Liberty, the bald eagle, the Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, and the Pledge of Allegiance.

A national or state symbol stands for its ethnicity, culture, occupation, and strength. National symbols mainly attempt to create solidarity to represent the place's history, its people, and pride. These symbols often stand for nationalism as a sign of respect and patriotism.

In French, fleur-de-lis means "lily flower" or "flower of the iris." It's been used for centuries to represent a vast variety of things, including royalty, French cultural heritage, Christianity, light, defense, and female virtue.

The fleur-de-lis was a symbol of our land from its first discovery. In 1682 when French explorer Sieur de la Salle first claimed the Mississippi Valley for King Louis XVI (Louisiana being a derivative of Louis' name), he planted into the soil a flag adorned in fleur-de-lis.

The fleur de lys is the most instantly recognized symbol of New Orleans, and Louisiana. Yet it remains a mysterious emblem veiled by centuries of history. Though we think of the fleur as a modern symbol of New Orleans, artists have been constantly re-interpreting and re-designing, this ancient glyph over the centuries.

The Seal of Louisiana (French: Sceau de la Louisiane) is the official government emblem of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Originally devised in 1812, the latest version was enacted in 2006.