Welcome to Arizona, a state unlike any other state. For starters, it’s the 48th state. Only Alaska and Hawaii are younger. (Continued below)
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| Nicknames & Slogans | |||
| Nicknames | The Grand Canyon State, Copper State | ||
| Symbols of State | |||
| Motto | Ditat Deus | 1864 | > |
| Anthem | Arizona March Song | 1919 | > |
| Alternate Anthem | Arizona | 1981 | > |
| EcoSymbols | |||
| Flower | saguaro cactus blossom (Carnegia gigantea) | 1931 | > |
| Tree | palo verde (Cercidium) | 1954 | > |
| Bird | cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) | 1931 | > |
| Mammal | ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) | 1986 | > |
| Reptile | ridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi) | 1986 | > |
| Amphibian | Arizona tree frog (Hyla eximia) | 1986 | > |
| Fish | Arizona trout (Oncorhynchus apache) | 1986 | > |
| Butterfly | two-tailed swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata) | 2001 | > |
| Mineral | wulfenite | 2017 | > |
| Gem | turquoise | 1974 | > |
| Metal | copper | 2015 | > |
| Fossil † | Arizona petrified wood (Araucarioxylon arizonicum) | 1988 | > |
| Dinosaur † | Sonorasaurus | 2018 | > |
| Soil | Casa Grande (unofficial)  |
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| Cultural Symbols | |||
| Colors | blue and gold | 1915 | > |
| Neckwear | bolo tie | 1973 | > |
| Tartan | Arizona | 1995 | > |
| Drink | lemonade | 2019 | > |
| Language | English  |
2006 | > |
| Firearm | Colt single-action Army revolver | 2011 | > |
Arizona is also one of the most diverse states. Yes, it has lots of desert areas, but even deserts can be diverse. Arizona is also blessed with forests and mountains. Its diverse wildlife once included jaguars. (Continued below)
Most people would expect Arizona’s symbols to be a little different—and they are. What else would you expect from a state nicknamed The Grand Canyon State?
Forget cactus blossoms and mischievous ringtails. Arizona’s most memorable symbols may be its earth symbols.
Arizona alone is The Grand Canyon State. Its nicknames also include Copper State. That nickname is recalled by a copper-colored star on Arizona’s beautiful state flag. Copper is Arizona’s official metal, by the way.
Arizona’s state gem, turquoise, is also super popular. It also represents Nevada and New Mexico. We might think of it as a Southwest icon, just as the bison and meadowlark represent the Great Plains states.
If you think state flags and flowers are nothing more than trivia, guess again. A thorough exploration of the more than 1,500 items adopted as state symbols embraces geography, history, and psychology.
You have found the best state symbols website, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The introduction above is adapted from Geobop’s State Symbols and My State Symbols Book, by far the biggest and most detailed state symbols references ever. You can learn still more about the symbols of the 50 states in the books Flag Quest and Grading the States. (Learn more about them here.)
After you spend some time exploring your favorite state’s symbols, you can come back here and tell us what you think about them.
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