Chapter One Federal Government - Minnesota State Legislature

Chapter
Seven
Legacy
Department of Natural Resources photograph
Chapter Seven Legacy
282
State Flag
The present state flag was adopted by the 1957 legislature. The flag is royal blue with a gold
fringe. Pictured in the center of the flag is the state seal. Three dates are woven into a wreath of
the state flower: 1858, the statehood year; 1819, the year Fort Snelling was established; and 1893,
the year the original flag was adopted. Nineteen stars ring the wreath, symbolizing the fact that
Minnesota was the 19th state to enter the Union after the original 13. The largest star
represents the North Star and Minnesota.
State Flower
The pink and white lady’s slipper
(Cypripedium reginae), also
known as the showy lady’s slipper
or queen’s lady slipper, was
adopted as the state flower in
1902. Found living in open
fens, bogs, swamps, and damp
woods where there is plenty of
light, lady’s slippers grow slowly,
taking up to 16 years to produce
their first flowers. They
bloom in late June or early July.
The plants live for up to 50
years and grow four feet tall. A
century ago, the showy lady’s
slipper was a favorite adornment
in rural church altars during the
summer. Since 1925 this rare
wildflower has been protected
by state law (it is illegal to pick
the flowers or to uproot or
unearth the plants). Specimens
like the one pictured here are
difficult to find, but with some
effort can be found on the bog at
Beckman Lake in Isanti County.
Kent Kaiser photograph