What are the State Symbols of Indiana?

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

Indiana is certainly no different from many other U.S. states and it has an abundance of fantastic symbols that are indicative to the state’s historical roots and geological history. There are also recognizable icons and emblems for each state, such as state seals and flags, nicknames and mottos, trees and fruits, and much more which are all included in our Indiana state symbol list.

Indiana State Symbols List

There are an incredible amount of Indiana state symbols which creates a plethora of brilliant interesting facts, both from the past and present. We have shortlisted the most significant Indiana state symbols below and further down the page you will find a comprehensive table displaying all the Indiana symbols and the date they were officially enacted.

Indiana State Bird and Flower

Northern Cardinals (Richmondena Cardinalis Cardinalis) became the official state bird for Indiana in 1933. As one of the most popular “backyard birds” in all of America, cardinals feature as the official state bird of 6 other states, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Closely related to grosbeaks and also buntings, these cardinals sport an incredibly unique and distinctive appearance, with a bright red body, black face, and mohawk-like “hairstyle”. Fortunately, these birds are not endangered, nor are they under threat, which is shown clearly by the fact that there are over 120 million of them residing in the U.S. alone!

The famous peony (Paeonia) was originally adopted as the official Indiana state flower in 1957. These beautiful flowers appear in single and double forms, there is also no specific variety or color for the Indiana peony. Peonies come in various different colors, red, pink, yellow, and white during the spring and early summer months. Peonies are the most highly coveted of all wedding flowers. Unfortunately, peonies are also one of the most expensive!

Indiana State Seal

The official Indiana state seal was originally adopted for the 1816 and 1851 Indiana constitutions, and it wasn’t until 1963 that a full description was provided and it was officially adopted as Indiana’s state seal by the Indiana General Assembly. Additionally, there are some versions of the pioneer scene that you can see on the seal dating back as far as 1801!

The design of the famous Indiana state seal is a woodsman chopping down a tree with an axe, a buffalo jumping over a fallen tree, sycamore trees, hills in the background, and a sun setting with 14 rays.

The tree is a tulip poplar, and its leaves border diamond shapes in the outer circle. You can also see the words “Seal of the state of Indiana” draped around the outer circle. Additionally, the significant date that Indiana entered the union appears at the bottom (1816).

Indiana State Insect

The elusive and unique Say’s firefly (Pyractomena angulata) has been the insect to represent the state since only February 2018. This was thanks to the persistence and perseverance of the students of Cumberland Elementary School in West Lafayette.

Indiana State Tree

Tulip poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera) has been the official state tree for Indiana since 1931. This tree is a popular state symbol for other states too, Kentucky and Tennessee also recognize the tulip poplar as their tree symbol. These trees are not found in abundance across the U.S., nor the state of Indiana for that matter, however, they are a member of the magnolia family, which is an incredibly popular tree. Their leaf has a very unique and distinctive shape with a green/yellow body and orange flowers in the spring.

All Indiana 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 state of Indiana, it makes sense to showcase all the Indiana state symbols that are best used to represent the state’s history and more present achievements and moments. Here is the complete list of symbols: