Mayflower
Massachusetts State Flower
The mayflower was adopted as the official Massachusetts State Flower in 1918. The fragrant, delicate flower bears the same name as the famous ship that carried Pilgrims to the Massachusetts shores in 1620. Americans continue to honor the state’s most famous residents through the annual Thanksgiving holiday. With all of this rich history behind it, you’d think the mayflower was an obvious floral emblem for the “Bay State.” However, in the early 1900s two bills to make it official were defeated in the legislature. Finally, the matter was put before Massachusetts school children who were asked to choose between the mayflower and the water lily. They voted 2 to 1 in favor of the tiny mayflower.
The mayflower is known by many common names, including trailing arbutus, gravel plant, ground laurel, shadflower, mountain pink, and winter pink. Many species of bees are drawn to the fragrant scent and sweet nectar of the mayflower.
Mayflower Facts
Common Name: Mayflower
Scientific Name: Epigaea repens
Year Adopted: 1918
Peak Bloom: March to June
Massachusetts State Flower Coloring Pages
Mayflower Coloring Page to Print or Color Online
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Mayflower photograph by Jim Sorbie. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.
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