Arizona State Symbols

What are the living symbols of Arizona?

When and how were they chosen?

What is a What is a “symbol”?“symbol”?

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I was our first symbol, selected in 1901 when Arizona was a territory.

Three inches wide, I can only be seen in May and June.

I am our state flower.

saguaro blossom

What do you think?Why does this flower bloom at night and

close the next day? What animals might use pollen and

nectar from this flower? What does the flower get in return? Why might this flower be large and grow in clusters?

The legislature chose me in 1931.

I eat insects and cactus fruit.

I like to sing cha-cha-cha.

I am our state bird.

Cactus Wren

What do you think?Why is it called the Cactus Wren? How can the Cactus Wren survive without

drinking water? Why do Cactus Wrens choose cholla

cactus or thorny trees for nest locations? What makes a Cactus Wren’s

nest unusual?

The legislature chose me in 1954.

I am usually green.

I produce yellow flowers.

I am our state tree.

paloverde

What do you think?Why are the bark and branches of this tree

green?Why are the leaves and flowers so small? What do this tree and the saguaro have in

common?How has the palo verde adapted to the lack

of water in the desert?

School children selected me in 1985.

I am an excellent climber.

I am usually green.

I am our state amphibian.

Arizona Treefrog

What do you think? What adaptations help the Arizona

Treefrog survive? What does it mean to be “insectivorous”? What is the purpose of the male’s

vocalization? In what part of our

state would you find the Arizona Treefrog?

School children selected me in 1985.I am sometimes called a “yellow belly.”

I am our state fish.Apache Trout

By 1970 I was nearly extinct.

What do you think?

Why do you think this species nearly became extinct?

How have humans helped this species to recover?

In what part(s) of Arizona would you find this species?

school children selected me in 1985.

I prefer to live in rock crevices.

I have an upturned nose.

I am our state reptile.

Arizona Ridgenosed Rattlesnake

What do you think?Why does it have a rattle?How does this rattlesnake fit into

the cycle of life in our desert?This is a protected species. What

does that mean?

School children selected me in 1985.

Sometimes called a miner’s cat, I am not really a cat.I am our state mammal.

ringtail

What do you think?Why do some people call the ringtail a

miner’s cat or ringtail cat? How is it different from a cat? How has the ringtail adapted to its

habitat? Why might the ringtail

have such a long tail?

Arizona residents and the legislature chose me in 2001.I am bright yellow and have two tails.

I am our state butterfly.

Two-Tailed Swallowtail

What do you think? Does this butterfly really have two tails? How many different species of

swallowtail butterflies live in Arizona? Of all the butterflies in Arizona, why was

this selected as the state butterfly?

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Click here to learn about the current state seal.