The white pine cone and tassel is the official floral emblem of Maine — an unusual choice that honors the state’s signature tree rather than a true flower.

• Official flower: White pine cone and tassel
• Scientific name: Pinus strobus
• Year adopted: 1895
• Native range: the northeastern U.S. and Canada

About the white pine cone and tassel

Maine adopted the white pine cone and tassel in 1895. As the “Pine Tree State,” Maine chose to represent itself with the cone and needle cluster of the eastern white pine, the towering conifer whose timber shaped the region’s history.

Where it grows

The eastern white pine grows throughout Maine’s forests and across the northeastern United States and Canada, one of the largest conifers in the region.

Maine state flower FAQs

What is the state flower of Maine?

Maine’s state flower is the white pine cone and tassel (Pinus strobus), which it adopted in 1895.

When did Maine adopt its state flower?

Maine designated the white pine cone and tassel as its official state flower in 1895.

Why is Maine’s state flower a pine cone?

As the ‘Pine Tree State,’ Maine chose the white pine cone and tassel in 1895 to honor the eastern white pine, central to its history and landscape.

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