STATE FLOWER
Washington's State Flower: Coast Rhododendron
The coast rhododendron was picked by Washington women in 1892 for a world's fair — but it took until 1959 for the state to make the honor official.
A Long Road to Official Status
The Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) was chosen by the Seattle Floral Society, well before women in the state could vote, to represent Washington at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. That informal designation lasted 67 years before the state legislature finally made it official. Today the evergreen shrub is common in gardens and forests alike, producing large clusters of pink to white blooms each spring.
QUICK FACT
All parts of the coast rhododendron contain natural toxins, so the plant should be kept away from grazing livestock and pets.
