Rose, the state flower of New York
The state flower of New York is the rose, adopted in 1955. The law covers the rose in every color or mix of colors common to it, wild or cultivated, so the emblem is the whole genus Rosa, from garden hybrids to the native wild roses of New York's meadows and swamps. Schoolchildren had already ranked the rose their favorite flower in a poll taken in 1891.
How to recognize it
Roses are perennial shrubs, low subshrubs or climbing vines, with stems armed with prickles, usually called thorns. Wild roses, such as the pasture rose, usually have five petals, while garden roses have been bred to carry many layers of petals. The flowers are often fragrant and come in a wide range of colors.
Wild and cultivated
Because the law covers every rose, New York’s state flower includes both native and introduced plants. The New York Flora Atlas lists native wild roses such as the Carolina or pasture rose, the Virginia rose, the swamp rose, the smooth rose, the bristly rose and the climbing rose, along with more than a dozen introduced species.
One of those introduced roses is unwelcome. Multiflora rose is listed as a prohibited invasive plant in New York, so it may not be sold, imported, transported or propagated.
Where to see it
Cultivated roses grow in gardens across the state. Wild roses turn up in thickets, meadows and along roadsides throughout New York, and the swamp rose in wetlands.
The state flower since 1955
New York’s schoolchildren picked the rose as their favorite flower in a poll taken in 1891, but the Legislature made it official only on April 20, 1955. The rose is also the national floral emblem of the United States.
Questions about the New York state flower
- What is the state flower of New York?
- The rose, in any color, wild or cultivated, adopted on April 20, 1955.
- Which rose is New York's state flower?
- All of them. The law names the rose in every color or color mix common to it, wild or cultivated.
- Are there wild roses native to New York?
- Yes. Native wild roses include the Carolina or pasture rose, the Virginia rose, the swamp rose, the smooth rose, the bristly rose and the climbing rose.
- Is any rose banned in New York?
- Yes. Multiflora rose, an introduced species, is a prohibited invasive plant in New York and may not be sold, imported, transported or propagated.
Sources
- New York State Emblems New York State Library
- Rosa (New York Flora Atlas) New York Flora Atlas
- Prohibited and regulated invasive plants New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- Plant Profile: Rosa L. (rose) USDA NRCS PLANTS Database