e-ReferenceDesk's College and 50 State Learning Resource Guide

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State Symbols

The official state symbols represent the cultural heritage and natural treasures of each state or the entire United States

Delaware Symbols

Delaware Symbols

Beverage, Bird, Bug, Butterfly, Colors, Fish, Flag, Floral Emblem, Flower, Fossil, Herb, Macroinvertebrate, Marine Animal, Mineral, Motto, Nickname, Seal, Soil, Song, Star, Tree

Delaware State Herb

Sweet Golden Rod

(Solidago odora)

Adopted June 24, 1996

Members of the International Herb Growers and Marketers Association of Delaware suggested that the herb "Solidago Odora", commonly known as "Sweet Golden Rod", because of its beautiful golden blossoms, would be especially appropriate as the designated herb. Sweet Golden Rod is both indigenous to Delaware and widespread throughout the State where it is commonly found in our coastal areas and along the edges of marshes and thickets.

Other common names

Sweet goldenrod, wound weed, Blue Mountain tea, sweet-scented goldenrod, anise-scented goldenrod, true goldenrod.

Habitat and range

The fragrant goldenrod is found in dry, sandy soil or pinelands from Nova Scotia south to Florida and west to Arkansas and Texas.

Description

Fragrant goldenrod is a slender herb from 2 to 4 feet high with nearly smooth stems. The narrow, pointed, entire leaves, which have a pleasant anise odor when crushed, are 2 to 4 inches long and one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch wide. In summer and fall the numerous small, yellow flowers appear, densely crowded in branched clusters at the end of the stems.

Part used

The leaves and tops, collected during the flowering period.

State Symbols

State symbols represent things that are special to a particular state.

symbol \ˈsim-bəl\
noun

Etymology:
in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from syn- + ballein to throw — more at devil
Date: 15th century

1: Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.