The purple lilac is the official state flower of New Hampshire — a fragrant spring shrub chosen to reflect the hardy character of the state’s people.

• Official flower: Purple lilac
• Scientific name: Syringa vulgaris
• Year adopted: 1919
• Native range: introduced, widely grown

About the purple lilac

New Hampshire adopted the purple lilac in 1919. Lawmakers chose it because it “is symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State.” The lilac’s perfumed clusters of purple blooms appear in mid to late spring.

Where it grows

Brought to New England by early settlers, lilacs grow throughout New Hampshire’s gardens and old homesteads, blooming in mid to late spring.

New Hampshire state flower FAQs

What is the state flower of New Hampshire?

New Hampshire’s state flower is the purple lilac (Syringa vulgaris), which it adopted in 1919.

When did New Hampshire adopt its state flower?

New Hampshire designated the purple lilac as its official state flower in 1919.

Why did New Hampshire choose the purple lilac?

Lawmakers felt the lilac’s hardiness symbolized the tough, resilient character of the people of the Granite State.

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