Wisconsin

The Story Behind the Wood Violet

Imagine you're a schoolchild in Wisconsin in 1909. You've been asked to help choose a flower to represent your state. There are four finalists: the white water lily, trailing arbutus, wild rose, and wood violet. Which one would you choose? Wisconsin's children picked the little purple flower they already knew. It grew in their woods, fields, and neighborhoods. They could recognize it. They could find it. They didn't need an adult to show them where to look. On Arbor Day in 1909, the children chose the wood violet. There was just one problem. Wisconsin wouldn't make their choice official for another 40 years.

This short video shares how Wisconsin schoolchildren chose the wood violet to represent their state in 1909 and why it took another 40 years for their choice to become official.

Wood Violet

Viola sororia

The wood violet is a small flower, usually growing only a few inches above the ground, but its purple blooms are surprisingly easy to spot once you know what you're looking for.

A few things that make it special:

Native to eastern North America
Blooms primarily in spring
Has distinctive heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges
Flowers can range from deep purple and blue-violet to nearly white
Often grows in woods, lawns, fields, and other places close to home

Look closely at the center of the flower and you may notice fine hairs on some of the petals. These help guide pollinators toward the flower's nectar and pollen.

It's not a rare flower hidden somewhere deep in the wilderness.

And that was part of its appeal.

For Wisconsin's schoolchildren, this was their flower. They could walk outside, find one, and recognize it all by themselves.

Why It Became the State Flower

The story begins in 1908, when Wisconsin began a process to select a flower to represent the state.

Schoolchildren were invited to participate, and eventually four flowers emerged as finalists:

Wood violet

White water lily

Trailing arbutus

Wild rose

Then, on Arbor Day in 1909, Wisconsin's children voted.

The wood violet won.

It grew throughout Wisconsin, making it something children from different parts of the state could recognize and enjoy. Its small size also made it approachable. You didn't need to visit a botanical garden or travel somewhere special to see your state flower.

But although the children had made their choice, Wisconsin didn't immediately make it official.

For decades, the wood violet was generally recognized as the state's flower without actually having that designation written into law.

Finally, in 1949, Wisconsin made it official.

Forty years after those schoolchildren cast their votes, the wood violet officially became Wisconsin's state flower.

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