NYS Kids Room - State Symbols
State Symbols
New Yorkers have officially adopted a wide variety of symbols that serve to represent their state.
Apple: State Fruit ( Photo >> )
The apple was adopted as the State fruit in 1976. Apples are sweet and crisp. They come in many varieties, such as Golden Delicious, McIntosh and Winesap.
Milk: State Beverage ( Photo >> )
Milk comes from the dairy cow. Butter, cheese and ice cream are made from milk. It was adopted as the State beverage in 1981.
Sugar Maple: State Tree ( Photo >> )
The sugar maple is our main source of maple syrup made from sap stored in its trunk. Its leaves are pointed and turn bright colors in the fall. The sugar maple was adopted as the State tree in 1956.
Rose: State Flower ( Photo >> ) ( Video>> )
The rose was adopted as the State flower in 1955. Roses are soft, fragrant flowers with thorny stems. They grow in bushes and are seen in many gardens.
Ladybug: State Insect ( Photo >> )
The ladybug is an orange beetle with black spots. It helps gardeners by eating tiny pests that ruin plants. The ladybug was adopted as the State insect in 1989.
Bluebird: State Bird ( Photo >> )
The bluebird was adopted as the State bird in 1970. The bluebird is one of the first birds to return North each spring.
Beaver: State Animal ( Photo >> )
Beavers build dams across streams by packing mud with their long, flat tails. The beaver was adopted as the State animal in 1975.
Brook Trout: State Freshwater Fish ( Illustration >> )
The brook trout was adopted as the State freshwater fish in 1975. Brook trout live in freshwater brooks, lakes and streams.
Eurypterus remipes: State Fossil ( Photo >> )
Eurypterus remipes, a 420 million year-old eurypterid, was adopted as the State fossil in 1984. Eurypterids are extinct, distant relatives of the horseshoe crab.
 
Garnet: State Gem ( Photo >> )
The garnet was adopted as the State gem in 1969. Garnets are used in jewelry and are a dark red color.
Apple Muffin: State Muffin ( Photo >> )
The apple muffin was adopted as the State muffin in 1987 as a result of the efforts of students throughout New York State. Apple muffins are made by adding small pieces of apple to muffin batter before it is baked.
Bay Scallop: State Shell ( Photo >> )
The bay scallop was adopted as the State shell in 1988. They live at the bottom of the sea and can swim by flapping their shells together.
Lilac: State Bush ( Photo >> )
The lilac was adopted as the State bush in 2006. The lilac is an ornamental shrub with showy, fragrant blooms in spring and early summer.
Snapping Turtle: State Reptile ( Photo >> )
The common snapping turtle was adopted as the State reptile in 2006. The common snapping turtle has a large head, long, saw-toothed tail, and stocky legs with large claws.
Striped Bass: State Marine or Saltwater Fish ( Photo >> ) The striped bass was adopted as the State marine or saltwater fish in 2006. Striped bass or "stripers" are silvery with 7 to 8 black stripes. They are found seasonally in the tidal portion of the Hudson River and coastal waters around Long Island.