Washington

The Story Behind the Pacific Rhododendron

If you’ve ever walked through a forest in the Pacific Northwest in late spring, you may have seen it.

Clusters of soft pink flowers blooming beneath towering evergreen trees. Moss on the ground. Cool air. That deep green landscape that feels unmistakably like Washington.

The Pacific rhododendron grows quietly in forests throughout the state, often tucked beneath Douglas fir and cedar trees. It’s not flashy or loud. But when it blooms, it transforms the forest with soft bursts of pink.

It’s a flower that feels perfectly at home in Washington.

This short video tells the story of how the Pacific rhododendron became the state flower of Washington and why it represents the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Pacific Rhododendron

Rhododendron macrophyllum

The Pacific rhododendron grows throughout the forests of the Pacific Northwest and is especially common in western Washington.

A few things that make it special:

Native to the Pacific Northwest
Blooms in late spring to early summer
Often found in forest understories
Known for its soft pink clusters of flowers

Unlike many wildflowers that grow in open fields or prairies, the Pacific rhododendron thrives beneath tall trees, adding bursts of color to the deep green forests of Washington.

Seeing one in bloom along a forest trail is a quiet reminder that spring has arrived.

Why It Became the State Flower

The Pacific rhododendron has long been associated with Washington’s forests and landscapes.

In the early 1900s, women across the state were asked to vote for a flower that should represent Washington. The Pacific rhododendron won the vote over the dogwood.

For many years it was treated as the state flower informally, but it wasn’t until 1959 that the Washington legislature officially adopted it.

Today, the Pacific rhododendron remains one of the most recognizable flowers in the state and a symbol of the forests that define much of Washington’s landscape.

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