Texas State Symbols

Britney Balderas | Posted on April 12, 2018 |

Having a large number of official state symbols is unsurprising when you consider the vast size of the state and geological and cultural differences within the boundaries of it. Texas has a rich, diverse cultural heritage and tangible representations of it and its natural resources have become official symbols for the state. State symbols began to be adopted following the creation of a “National Garland of Flowers” for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, where each state was represented by a particular type of flower. The trend expanded from there and now each state has many symbols that acknowledge the unique natural beauty, landscape features, and cultural heritage of each. Every Texan knows that the State Flower is the Bluebonnet and the State Nickname is The Lone Star State, but how many know what the State Dinosaur or State Snack is? Here is a list of some of the well-known and not-so-well-known Texas State Symbols:

Animals

State Amphibian – Texas Toad State Bird – Mockingbird State Crustacean – Texas Gulf Shrimp State Dinosaur – Paluxysaurus Jonesi State Dog Breed – Blue Lacy State Fish – Guadalupe Bass State Flying Mammal – Mexican Free-Tailed Bat State Horse – American Quarter Horse State Insect – Monarch Butterfly State Large Mammal – Longhorn State Pollinator – Western Honey Bee State Reptile – Texas Horned Lizard State Saltwater Fish – Red Drum State Sea Turtle – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle State Small Mammal – Nine-Banded Armadillo

Plants

State Flower – Bluebonnet State Grass – Sideoats Grama State Native Shrub – Texas Purple Sage State Plant – Prickly Pear Cactus State Shrub – Crape Myrtle State Tree – Pecan Tree State Waterlily – Nymphaea Texas Dawn

Foods

State Bread – Pan de Campo State Cobbler – Peach Cobbler State Dish – Chili State Fruit – Texas Red Grapefruit State Health Nut – Pecan State Native Pepper – Chiltepin State Pastries – Sopaipilla and Strudel State Pepper – Jalapeño State Pie – Pecan Pie State Snack – Tortilla Chips & Salsa State Squash – Pumpkin State Vegetable – Texas Sweet Onion

Miscellaneous

State Cooking Implement – Cast Iron Dutch Oven State Epic Poem – Legend of Old Stone Ranch State Fiber & Fabric – Cotton State Folk Dance – Square Dance State Footwear – Cowboy Boot State Gem & Gemstone Cut – Texas Blue Topaz & Lone Star Cut State Hat – Cowboy Hat State Motto – Friendship State Music – Western Swing State Musical Instrument – Guitar State Nickname – The Lone Star State State Precious Metal – Silver State Railroad – Texas State Railroad State Shell – Lightning Whelk State Ship – U.S.S. Texas State Song – Texas Our Texas State Sport – Rodeo State Stone – Petrified Palmwood State Tall Ship – Tall Ship Elissa State Tartan – Texas Bluebonnet Tartan State Tie – Bolo Tie State Vehicle – Chuck Wagon Sources: State Symbols USA, Bullock Museum, and Texas State Library and Archives Commission