This is a list of symbols of the state of New York in the United States. The majority of the state symbols are officially listed in the New York Consolidated Laws in Article 6, Sections 70 through 87. [1] The symbols are recognized by these laws and were signed into law by the governor of New York.
The oldest symbols, the state flag and the state arms, were adopted in 1778. The most recent addition to the list, yogurt, was added in 2014. The origin of the state motto dates back to 1784. During a tour of the state's harbors, waterways, and fertile interior, George Washington referred to New York as the "Seat of Empire". The term "The Big Apple" was coined by jazz musicians of the 1930s who used the slang expression "apple" when referring to any city.
The state insect took nine years to become official. In 1980, fifth grader Kristina Savoca sent a letter - along with a petition bearing 152 signatures - to New York State Assemblyman Robert C. Wertz, urging him to introduce legislation designating the lady beetle as the official state insect. The proposal languished for a number of years, passing in the Assembly but not being considered in the Senate. Approval finally came in 1989, after Cornell University entomologists suggested that Wertz propose the nine-spotted lady beetle (Coccinella novemnotata, sometimes abbreviated to C-9) as the state insect because it was a native lady beetle.
Type | Symbol | Year | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Flag | Flag of New York | 1778 [2] | |
Seal | Seal of New York | 1778 [2] | |
Coat of arms | The Coat of Arms of New York | ||
Motto | Excelsior (Ever upward) | 1784 [3] | |
Nickname | The Empire State | 1784 [3] | |
Slogan | "I Love New York" (official) | 1977 [4] |
Type | Symbol | Year | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Butterfly | Red-spotted purple/white admiral Limenitis arthemis | 2008 [5] | |
Bird | Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis | 1970 [6] | |
Dog | Working dog | 2015 [7] [8] | |
Mammal | North American beaver Castor canadensis | 1975 [9] | |
Reptile | Snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina | 2006 [10] [11] | |
Freshwater fish | Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis | 1975 [12] | |
Salt water fish | Striped bass Morone saxatilis | 2006 [12] | |
Insect | Nine-spotted ladybug Coccinella novemnotata | 1989 [13] | |
Tree | Sugar maple Acer saccharum | 1956 [14] | |
Bush | Lilac bush Syringa vulgaris | 2006 [10] [15] | |
Flower | Rose | 1955 [16] |
Type | Symbol | Year | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Gemstone | Garnet | 1969 [17] | |
Fossil | Sea scorpion Eurypterus remipes | 1984 [18] | |
Shell | Scallop Argopecten irradians | 1988 [13] |
Type | Symbol | Year | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Beverage | Milk | 1981 [13] | |
Fruit | Apple | 1976 [19] | |
Muffin | Apple muffin | 1987 [13] | |
Snack | Yogurt | 2014 [20] [21] |
Cypripedium reginae, known as the showy lady's slipper, pink-and-white lady's-slipper, or the queen's lady's-slipper, is a rare lady's-slipper orchid native to northern North America. Although never common, this plant has vanished from much of its historical range due to habitat loss. It is the state flower of Minnesota.
The national symbols of Bhutan include the national flag, national emblem, national anthem, and the mythical druk thunder featured in all three. Other distinctive symbols of Bhutan and its dominant Ngalop culture include Dzongkha, the national language; the Bhutanese monarchy; and the driglam namzha, a seventeenth-century code on dress, etiquette, and dzong architecture. Natural symbols of Bhutan are its national flower, the Himalayan blue poppy; its national tree, the Himalayan cypress; its national bird, the raven; and its national animal, the takin.
Chobani is an American food company specializing in strained yogurt. The company was founded in 2005 by Hamdi Ulukaya, a Turkish Kurd businessman. Chobani sells thick, Greek yogurt with a higher protein content than traditional yogurt and is one of the main companies to popularize this style of yogurt in the US. The company has also expanded to non-dairy, plant-based products such as dairy-free vegan yogurt and oat milk. Chobani produces a variety of Greek yogurt products, oat drinks, and snacks. Chobani's yogurt's market share in the U.S. rose from less than 1% in 2007 to more than 20% in 2021, and is the top-selling Greek yogurt brand in the United States and operates the largest yogurt facility in the world. In April 2016, Chobani announced it was giving 10 percent of its ownership stake to its employees.