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New Mexico State Flower

Yucca Flower

Genus Yucca

Adopted:1927

Yucca glauca Nutt.
© Clenton Owensby. Used with permission.

Adoption of the New Mexico State Flower

The yucca flower, selected by New Mexico schoolchildren and supported by the New Mexico Federation of Women's Clubs, was approved by the eighth regular session of the legislature of New Mexico. House Bill No. 371, naming the "Yucca flower" the "official Flower of the State of New Mexico" was adopted on March 14, 1927.

The legislation does not specify a particular species of yucca flower or even indicate that "all" species are intended to represent New Mexico.

Chapter 102

An Act to Provide For The Adoption of the Yucca Flower As The Official State Flower

H.B. No. 371; Approved March 14, 1927

WHEREAS, New Mexico is in need of a distinctive official flower, and

WHEREAS, the First State Federation of Women's Clubs recommended the Yucca flower as such official flower, and

WHEREAS, the majority of the school children of the state also chose the Yucca flower as the state flower,

NOW, THEREFORE, Be It enacted by the Legislature of The State of New Mexico:

Section 1. The Yucca flower is hereby adopted as the official Flower of the State of New Mexico.

Sec. 2. All Acts or parts of Acts in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

Yucca elata (Engelm.) Engelm.
Clarence A. Rechenthin @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

We highlight Yucca glauca and Yucca elata on this page but either might be thought of as the official state flower. The 2000-2001 New Mexico Blue Book and the New Mexico Legislature Handbook state that

"The yucca (pronounced ?yuh-ka?) was called ?our Lord?s candles? by early settlers who saw its beautiful flowers gracing the plains and deserts of New Mexico. It is found in abundant quantities throughout the state. The yucca elate [sic] is considered the most elegant of the species."

It goes on to say

"Early inhabitants found that ground yucca roots were an excellent substitute for soap. Yucca has always been popular among New Mexicans for shampoo, and it is rapidly gaining commercial favor throughout the country."

Some have argued that, because a common name for Yucca elata is the soaptree yucca, this species was intended to be the official state flower. But, because Yucca glauca is sometimes referred to as the soapweed yucca or the small soapweed, this argument doesn't work very well. We do appreciate that Yucca elata is one of the more impressive Yucca species.

We have not been able to locate any credible evidence that a particular species of yucca was intended as the state flower and until we do, we have to assume that any species may be considered to be the "official Flower of the State of New Mexico."

The New Mexico Statutes

The following information is excerpted from the New Mexico Statutes, Article 3, Section 12-4-4 A.

ARTICLE 3. STATE SEAL, SONG AND SYMBOLS.
SECTION

12-3-4. State flower; state bird; state tree; state fish; state animal; state vegetables; state gem; state grass; state fossil; state cookie; state insect; state question; state nickname; state butterfly; state reptile; state amphibian.

A. The yucca flower is adopted as the official flower of New Mexico.
B. The chaparral bird, commonly called roadrunner, is adopted as the official bird of New Mexico.
C. The nut pine or pinon tree, scientifically known as Pinus edulis, is adopted as the official tree of New Mexico.
D. The native New Mexico cutthroat trout is adopted as the official fish of New Mexico.
E. The native New Mexico black bear is adopted as the official animal of New Mexico.
F. The chile, the Spanish adaptation of the chilli, and the pinto bean, commonly known as the frijol, are adopted as the official vegetables of New Mexico.
G. The turquoise is adopted as the official gem of New Mexico.
H. The blue grama grass, scientifically known as Bouteloua gracillis, is adopted as the official grass of New Mexico.
I. The coelophysis is adopted as the official fossil of New Mexico.
J. The bizcochito is adopted as the official cookie of New Mexico.
K. The tarantula hawk wasp, scientifically known as Pepsis formosa, is adopted as the official insect of New Mexico.
L. "Red or green?" is adopted as the official question of New Mexico.
M. "The Land of Enchantment" is adopted as the official nickname of New Mexico.
N. The Sandia hairstreak is adopted as the official butterfly of New Mexico.
O. The New Mexico whiptail lizard, scientifically known as Cnemidophorus neomexicanus, is adopted as the official reptile of New Mexico.
P. The New Mexico spadefoot toad, scientifically known as Spea multiplicata, is adopted as the official amphibian of New Mexico.

Additional Information

New Mexico State Flower: Yucca Flower
Courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy

Yucca glauca (Soapweed yucca): Plant Encyclopedia from MyGardenGuide.

Plant Profile for Yucca glauca (Soapweed yucca): USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Plant Profile for Yucca elata (Soaptree yucca): USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

State Flower List: List of all of the state flowers.

State Birds & Flowers 1000-pc Puzzle: Created at the request of The National Wildlife Federation this design is a beautiful and informative puzzle featuring every state bird perched on the appropriate state flower.

State Birds and Flowers Coloring Book by Annika Bernhard - 51 accurately detailed, copyright-free renderings include national bird (eagle) and flower (rose) plus 50 state birds and flowers.

U. S. State Flowers in Cross Stitch by Gerda Bengtsson - Botanically correct cross stitch designs of state flowers of the 50 States.

Quilting Flowers of the States by Sue Harvey - A lovely 12-inch flower block for each of the 50 states. Techniques used are piecing, appliqu?, paper-piecing and three-dimensional techniques.

Plants, Seeds & Flowers: Bulbs, seeds, plants, fertilizer, plant containers and more.

Gardening Tools: Pruners, rakes, shovels, hoes, trowels, cultivators and tillers, greenhouses, yard carts and more.

State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide, Third Edition - Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Greenwood Press, 2002

State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and Other Symbols: A Study based on historical documents giving the origin and significance of the state names, nicknames, mottoes, seals, flowers, birds, songs, and descriptive comments on the capitol buildings and on some of the leading state histories, Revised Edition - George Earlie Shankle, Ph.D., The H.W. Wilson Company, 1938 (Reprint Services Corp. 1971)

Source: New Mexico Statutes, (http://www.conwaygreene.com/NewMexico.htm), August 20, 2005
Source: New Mexico Bluebook 2001-2002, p. 78., Office of the Secretary of State.
Source: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide, Third Edition - Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Greenwood Press, 2002
Source: State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and Other Symbols: Revised Edition (Reprint)- George Earlie Shankle, Ph.D., The H.W. Wilson Company, 1938

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