Indiana’s state flower is celebrated in an annual festival that has a little bit of something for everyone!
Indiana’s State Flower, The Peony
Did you know that before the peony was Indiana’s official state flower, the zinnia was a top contender for the title? In fact, there was a period in time before 1957 when the zinnia was the official flower. I mean no shade to zinnias, but I think Indiana made the right choice in changing the state flower to the peony in 1957.
According to the Indiana Historical Bureau, even though the peony blooms in all different colors, there is no specific color for the state flower.
The peony (Paeonia) was adopted as the state flower by the 1957 General Assembly (Indiana Code 1-2-7). From 1931 to 1957 the zinnia was the state flower. The peony blooms the last of May and early June in various shades of red and pink and also in white; it occurs in single and double forms. No particular variety or color was designated by the General Assembly. It is cultivated widely throughout the state and is extremely popular for decorating gravesites for Memorial Day…