May 6, 1897 – The Iowa General Assembly designates the “Wild Rose” as the state flower of Iowa.
There are, actually, three varieties of Wild Roses – Rosa blanda, Rosa arkansana, and Rosa carolina – and they all grow throughout the state, typically blooming – in varying shades of pink – starting in June. Since the General Assembly did not specify which of the three ‘Wild Roses’ would actually serve as the state flower, Iowans have three varieties to choose from!
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