Having a large number of official state symbols is unsurprising when you consider the vast size of the state and geological and cultural differences within the boundaries of it. Texas has a rich, diverse cultural heritage and tangible representations of it and its natural resources have become official symbols for the state. State symbols began to be adopted following the creation of a “National Garland of Flowers” for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, where each state was represented by a particular type of flower. The trend expanded from there and now each state has many symbols that acknowledge the unique natural beauty, landscape features, and cultural heritage of each.
Every Texan knows that the State Flower is the Bluebonnet and the State Nickname is The Lone Star State, but how many know what the State Dinosaur or State Snack is? Here is a list of some of the well-known and not-so-well-known Texas State Symbols:
Animals
State Amphibian – Texas Toad
State Bird – Mockingbird
State Crustacean – Texas Gulf Shrimp
State Dinosaur – Paluxysaurus Jonesi
State Dog Breed – Blue Lacy
State Fish – Guadalupe Bass
State Flying Mammal – Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
State Horse – American Quarter Horse
State Insect – Monarch Butterfly
State Large Mammal – Longhorn
State Pollinator – Western Honey Bee
State Reptile – Texas Horned Lizard
State Saltwater Fish – Red Drum
State Sea Turtle – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
State Small Mammal – Nine-Banded Armadillo
Plants
State Flower – Bluebonnet
State Grass – Sideoats Grama
State Native Shrub – Texas Purple Sage
State Plant – Prickly Pear Cactus
State Shrub – Crape Myrtle
State Tree – Pecan Tree
State Waterlily – Nymphaea Texas Dawn
Foods
State Bread – Pan de Campo
State Cobbler – Peach Cobbler
State Dish – Chili
State Fruit – Texas Red Grapefruit
State Health Nut – Pecan
State Native Pepper – Chiltepin
State Pastries – Sopaipilla and Strudel
State Pepper – Jalapeño
State Pie – Pecan Pie
State Snack – Tortilla Chips & Salsa
State Squash – Pumpkin
State Vegetable – Texas Sweet Onion
Miscellaneous
State Cooking Implement – Cast Iron Dutch Oven
State Epic Poem – Legend of Old Stone Ranch
State Fiber & Fabric – Cotton
State Folk Dance – Square Dance
State Footwear – Cowboy Boot
State Gem & Gemstone Cut – Texas Blue Topaz & Lone Star Cut
State Hat – Cowboy Hat
State Motto – Friendship
State Music – Western Swing
State Musical Instrument – Guitar
State Nickname – The Lone Star State
State Precious Metal – Silver
State Railroad – Texas State Railroad
State Shell – Lightning Whelk
State Ship – U.S.S. Texas
State Song – Texas Our Texas
State Sport – Rodeo
State Stone – Petrified Palmwood
State Tall Ship – Tall Ship Elissa
State Tartan – Texas Bluebonnet Tartan
State Tie – Bolo Tie
State Vehicle – Chuck Wagon
Sources: State Symbols USA, Bullock Museum, and Texas State Library and Archives Commission
