Latest News About North Carolina State Flower

Updated 2026-04-17 22:17

Here’s the latest on North Carolina’s state flower status.

The official state flower of North Carolina is the dogwood blossom (Cornus florida). The dogwood was designated as the state flower by the General Assembly, while the Carolina lily (Lilium michauxii) is recognized as the official state wildflower. This distinction remains the current arrangement in state symbolism literature and official summaries.[2][8]
Quick context: many sources emphasize the Carolina lily as the state wildflower, while the dogwood is the formal state flower. Both designations are longstanding, with the Carolina lily having its own 2003 designation as the state wildflower and the dogwood maintaining its status as the primary state flower.[4][8][2]

If you’d like, I can pull up the most recent official state statutes or recent NC State symbols pages to confirm the exact wording and any recent amendments.

Sources

What Is The State Flower of North Carolina? - World Atlas

The dogwood blossom is the state flower of North Carolina and the Carolina Lily is recognized as the state wildflower.

www.worldatlas.com

The Official North Carolina State Flower - The US50

Information about the official North Carolina state flower.

theus50.com

Carolina Lily State Wildflower - State Symbols USA

North Carolina designated the Carolina lily (Lilium michauxii) as the official State wildflower in 2003. This spectacular wildflower grows throughout North Carolina, from the forests and hills of Cherokee County to the coastal swamplands of Hyde and Pamlico Counties. The stem of the Carolina lily can grow up to 4 feet high and can have up to 6 flowers at the summit (1-3 is more common). The flower petals are brilliant red-orange with brown spots and curl back to overlap.

statesymbolsusa.org