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

Find Online Colleges

Find Campus Colleges

State Symbols

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

Maine Symbols

Maine Symbols

Animal, Berry, Bird, Cat, Drink, Fish, Flag, Floral Emblem, Fossil, Herb, Insect, Language of the Deaf Community, Mineral, Motto, Nicknames, Seal, Soil, Song, Tartan, Tree, Vessel

Maine State Herb

Wintergreen

(Gaultheria procumbens)

Adopted in 1999

Wintergreen was adopted by the legislature of 1999 as the state herb. Wintergreen grows in wooded areas and in some clearings from Canada to Georgia. The low growing, glossy leafed herb provides an attractive ground cover; in particular from fall to winter when red berries adorn the plants. In July, the plants bloom, producing white bell shaped flowers.

Traditionally wintergreen has been used for its soothing qualities providing relief from a variety of ailments. Native Americans crushed the leaves and applied them in order to relieve strained muscles and inflammations. Additionally, teas made from wintergreen relieve internal discomforts like sore throats and upset stomachs. Some early colonists even substituted wintergreen for their regular tea, which was heavily taxed during the American Revolution. Today wintergreen is used to flavor gum, candy, and toothpaste.

Maine Legislature Archives
§221. State herb
The herb wintergreen (gaultheria procumbens) is the official state herb. [1999, c. 27, §1 (new).]
Section History:
PL 1999, Ch. 27, §1 (NEW).

Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom	Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision	Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass	Dilleniidae –
Order	Ericales –
Family	Ericaceae – Heath family
Genus	Gaultheria L. – snowberry
Species	Gaultheria procumbens L. – eastern teaberry

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.