What are the Georgia State Symbols?

State symbols have been a mainstay of U.S. culture since the very beginning. Official symbols are used to represent the cultural heritage and natural history of each state in the most fun way possible.

Fortunately, Georgia is no different from many other U.S. states, with tons of symbols that are indicative of the state’s historical roots and geological history of Georgia. There are also recognizable icons and emblems for each state, such as state seals and flags, nicknames and mottos, and much more which we have included in our Georgia state symbol list.

Georgia State Symbols List

There are an incredible amount of state symbols for Georgia, and all states for that matter, creating a whole host of interesting facts, both from the past and present. We have shortlisted the top 6 most significant Georgia state symbols below and further down the page you will find a comprehensive table with each Georgia symbol and the date on which they were officially created.

Georgia State Animal

Georgia is in somewhat of a unique position when it comes to the mammal that represents the state. There are actually two, a land mammal and a sea mammal! The land mammal that represents Georgia is the White-Tailed Deer and has been since 2015, thanks to the efforts of a group of elementary school students at Reese Road Leadership Academy, located in Muscogee County, GA.

The second of Georgia’s state animals and the ‘marine mammal’ representing the state is the critically endangered Northern Right Whale. This Whale species has been a symbol for Georgia since 1985. The coastal waters of Georgia are a breeding ground for the northern right whale, and, in fact, it is the only great whale native to the state!

Georgia State Fruit

It should be known by many which fruit best represents the state of Georgia – peaches! You only need to look at Georgia’s nickname to work out which fruit it could be. The Peach State has a widely recognized reputation for producing the highest quality peaches which makes it the state fruit of Georgia.

Georgia State Bird and Flower

It was in 1916 when Georgia appointed the Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata) as the official state floral emblem, shortly after this it became recognized as the official state flower. There is, in fact, a Georgia state wildflower in addition to the Cherokee rose – keep scrolling to find out more about it.

The Brown Trasher (Toxostoma rufum) was originally the unofficial state bird from 1935 to 1970. It was during 1970 when the thrasher became Georgia’s official state bird. The Georgia state bird and flower represent one of the finest songsters in America and a rose name derived from the Cherokee Indians.

Georgia State Seal

The Georgia state seal was officially adopted in 1798, the seal contains a row of columns, a naval officer bearing a drawn sword, and 1776, which was the year the U.S. declared independence. On the face of the seal, you can see three pillars supporting an arch, which represents the three branches of government, legislative, judicial, and executive.

Another observation of the state seal is the state’s coat of arms, which is present in the Georgia state flag too. In addition to this, the man who is standing with a drawn sword is there to symbolize the defense of the Constitution and its principles of “Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation”, which is the official state motto of Georgia!

Georgia State Insect

In 1975 Georgia made the Honeybee its official state insect, paying homage to these insects’ incredible contribution to the state’s economy via the production of honey during the early days. Bees have also aided the pollination of over 50 crops in Georgia over the years. Georgia’s state insect is a member of the great insect family Apoidea, which includes 20,000 species!

Georgia State Tree

Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) is the official state tree for Georgia and has been since 1937. Coastal towns and cities in the south of the nation will often have hurricane-resistant live oaks that impressively arch over streets in historic neighborhoods for protection.

Georgia State Fish

The Georgia state fish is the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) was originally adopted in 1970. These bass are freshwater fish that are members of the sunfish family, they are rather large when adults and they have very healthy population numbers (even being considered invasive in some areas). You can find this fish residing in most fresh and brackish water pockets across the United States.

Georgia State Amphibian

Green tree frogs have been representing Georgia as the official state amphibian since 2005, being one of the latest state symbols adopted by the peach state. You can find this frog species all across the state in many different terrains. There are many amphibians that reside in Georgia, with North Carolina being the only state to have more wild amphibian species.

Georgia State Vegetable

The Georgia state vegetable is the Vidalia sweet onion and has been since its adoption in 1990. This type of onion has been internationally recognized as the sweetest onion in the world! In southern Georgia, there are only a few select places that can properly grow it.

Georgia State Fossil

Georgia’s official state fossil is the shark tooth and has been since 1976. These can be found in abundance across the coast of Georgia, in many different shapes, sizes, and color variations, typically washed up on shore. Black and gray are the most commonly discovered colors for shark teeth.

Georgia State Gem

The ever-popular quartz has been the state gem of Georgia since 1976 – quartz can be found all across the state in a wide range of sizes and colors. The most commonly discovered and used quartz is the white version, which is officially named “milk quartz”.

Georgia State Crop

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) has been the official Georgia state crop since 1995. Georgia grows the most peanuts out of any U.S. state, producing over 45% of the entire United States peanut crop. The economy of the state has been massively boosted by peanuts, with Georgia being the largest international peanut exporter in the nation. The state even has a massive smiling peanut statue – it is named the Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue and has been located in Plains, GA since 1976.

Georgia State Wildflower

The official Georgia state wildflower is the beautiful and incredibly diverse Azalea (Rhododendron) and has been since it was adopted back in 1979. These wildflowers bloom from March until August, their diversity stems from the many different color variations you can come across, ranging anywhere from white, yellow, orange, scarlet, red, and crimson.

Georgia State Dog

“An adoptable dog” has been the official state dog to represent Georgia since 2016. This is a pretty unique scenario as most states use specific dog breeds for their state symbols, but not Georgia, the peach state has taken a very moral approach to their dog symbol. An adoptable dog is any dog that is in the custody of an animal shelter, humane society, or public/private animal refugee center that is available for adoption by the public. There are too many dogs without loving homes, and the way Georgia put a spotlight on this is honorable.

Georgia State Butterfly

The Georgia state butterfly is the glorious tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) and it was adopted in 1988. These butterflies belong to the swallowtail subspecies and are the most popular of them all. You can find them pretty much everywhere throughout the eastern United States and Canada. The males showcase a slightly different coloration, showcasing bright yellow and black striped markings as seen in the image below.

All Georgia State Symbols (Table)

Now that we have taken a look at some of the more popular and notable state symbols that are associated with the great state of Georgia, it makes sense to showcase all the Georgia state symbols that are best used to represent the state’s historical and more present achievements and moments. Here is the complete list of symbols: