[ Sunshine Junior Symbols Page ]

State Seal The Florida State Seal was created by joint resolution passed in the 1865 Legislature. The resolution mandated: "A Seal of the size of the American silver dollar, having in the center thereof a view of the sun's rays over a high land in the distance, a cocoa tree, a steamboat on water, and an Indian female scattering flowers in the foreground, encircled by the words, ‘Great Seal of the State of Florida: In God We Trust.'" The 1970 Legislature changed the cocoa tree to a sabal palm (the State Tree). Other changes included the removal of a headdress from the Indian woman (only Indian males wore headdresses), and changing the Indian depicted from a Western Plains Indian to a Seminole Indian.
	State Flag Many different flags have flown over Florida, including those of Spain, France, Great Britain, the Confederate States, and the United States of America. The 1899 Legislature adopted a joint resolution that led to the design of our current flag: "The State Flag shall conform with standard commercial sizes and be of the following portions and descriptions: The seal of the state, in diameter one-half of the hoist, shall occupy the center of a white ground. Red Bars, in width one-fifth the hoist, shall extend from each corner towards the center, to the outer rim of the seal."
State Beverage Orange juice was named the state beverage of Florida by the 1967 Legislature. The production of orange juice became a multi-million dollar industry in Florida during the Second World War.
	State Flower The orange blossom became the state flower through a concurrent resolution passed by the 1909 Legislature. This fragrant flower is found in central and south Florida.
State Tree The 1953 Legislature designated the sabal palm our state tree. The sabal palm grows in any kind of soil and is found throughout the state.
	State Bird Florida's state bird is the mockingbird. It lives in Florida year-round and is known for imitating or "mocking" the songs of other birds. Its Latin name means "mimic of many tongues."
State Animal Students throughout the state of Florida voted the panther our state animal in 1982. Panthers are pale brown cats that play a large part in our wildlife ecosystem. They have been on the federal endangered species list since 1967 and on the state endangered list since 1973. Panthers have been protected from legal hunting in Florida since 1958. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is responsible for the management and preservation of the panther.
	State Butterfly The zebra longwing became the state butterfly in 1996. It is common in South Florida, especially in the Everglades National Park. However, it is not common in North Florida. This black and yellow butterfly is known for dining on the sweet nectar of passion flowers.
State Wildflower The 1991 Legislature named the coreopsis Florida's official wildflower. These colorful flowers are used extensively in Florida's roadside plantings and highway beautification programs. The coreopsis is found in a variety of colors, ranging from golden to pink. The flower is a food source for seed-eating birds.
	State Reptile In 1987, the American alligator (alligator mississippiensis) was designated the official state reptile. It has long been an unofficial symbol of the state, as the alligator originally symbolized Florida's untamed lands. Alligators are found throughout Florida and in parts of other southeastern states. They like lakes, swamps, canals, and other wetland habitats. They eat fish, turtles, and many other animals. Alligators should not be fed because this causes them to lose their fear of humans. Also, feeding is against Florida law. Alligators are now under controlled management by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to preserve the species and the wetlands that they and other Florida wildlife inhabit.
State Marine Mammal The manatee, also known as the sea cow, is a grey, plant-eating marine animal that can often weigh a ton or more. The manatee is on the endangered species list, but chances for its survival are good if citizens of this state take steps to ensure its survival. Of all the known causes of manatee mortality, man is responsible for about half of the deaths. Most of these deaths are caused by boats and barges. A speeding boat is more hazardous to a manatee than anything else because its propeller blades can cut a manatee's thick skin to ribbons.
	State Saltwater Mammal The 1975 Florida Legislature designated the "porpoise, also commonly known as the dolphin," our saltwater mammal. The porpoise or dolphin belongs to the mammalian order cetacea. It is gray or black with a slightly lighter underside. A system of echos - much like sonar - directs them in their travels. Porpoises have no sense of smell but they make up for this loss with sharp eyesight and extraordinary hearing. Historically, sailors have seen the presence of porpoises near their boats as a sign of good luck.
State Saltwater Fish Sailfish are not only found in Florida. They are found nearly everywhere there is warm ocean water. The sailfish resembles a torpedo when swimming, and can reach speeds of 60 mph. Size and weight taken from Florida waters is up to 7 feet and 116 pounds. In 1934, Florida author Ernest Hemingway caught a 9-foot 1-inch sailfish off Key West.
	State Freshwater Fish One of America's prized gamefish, the largemouth bass grows unusually large in Florida waters. In most northern states, the species reaches a maximum of ten pounds, but in Florida, 20-pound catches are not uncommon. This black bass is an elongated sunfish, whose distinguishing feature is its exceptionally large mouth. In the spring, each female largemouth bass can lay up to 25,000 eggs!
State Shell In 1969, the legislature named the horse conch, also known as the giant band shell, the state shell. It is native to the marine waters around Florida and can grow to a length of 24 inches. Young shells have orange color; adult shells have orange apertures. The shell act as an external skeleton of a soft-bodied animal that inhabits it.