Arkansas's official state bird is the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), and the official state flower is the Apple Blossom (Malus coronaria). The state tree is the Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda). All three are codified in Arkansas law and have been official symbols for decades.
What Is Arkansas State Bird and Flower, Plus Tree
Marcus Webb
21 May 2026
Arkansas state bird: the Northern Mockingbird
The Northern Mockingbird is a medium-sized songbird, roughly the size of an American Robin. Its body is gray-brown on top with a noticeably paler gray or whitish breast and belly. The clearest field marks are the two white wingbars on each wing and the bold white wing patches that flash prominently in flight. The outer tail feathers are also white, which shows well when the bird fans its tail. Up close, the bill is slender and slightly curved, and the eye is yellow. Males are famous for singing almost nonstop, especially in spring and early summer, often cycling through dozens of imitated songs in quick succession. If you hear a bird running through an endless repertoire of other species' calls from a rooftop or treetop, it's almost certainly a mockingbird.
Why Arkansas chose the mockingbird
Arkansas made it official on March 5, 1929, when Governor Harvey Parnell signed House Concurrent Resolution No. 22 passed by the Forty-seventh General Assembly. The mockingbird was a natural fit: it's a year-round resident across the state, common in towns and rural areas alike, and its remarkable vocal ability made it a standout symbol. It wasn't just chosen for abundance, though. The mockingbird's reputation for defending its territory fiercely and adapting to almost any environment gave it a certain character that resonated as representative of the state.
Arkansas isn't alone in claiming the mockingbird. Tennessee, Florida, Texas, and Mississippi have all designated the Northern Mockingbird as their state bird too, making it one of the most commonly shared state birds in the country. If you're exploring other state bird profiles, the mockingbird's story comes up repeatedly across the South and Southeast.
Arkansas state flower: the Apple Blossom
The Apple Blossom is a delicate, five-petaled flower that opens white and is often tinged with pink, especially in bud. The petals are rounded and slightly cupped, surrounding a cluster of yellow stamens at the center. The flowers appear in late spring, typically in clusters along the branches, and carry a light, sweet fragrance. Depending on the variety, you may see single blossoms with exactly five petals or semi-double forms with six to ten petals. The bloom is easy to recognize once you've seen it: that soft white-to-pink color and the classic open-cup shape with visible stamens is distinctive among spring-flowering trees.
Why Arkansas chose the apple blossom
The apple blossom became Arkansas's official state floral emblem on February 1, 1901, when Governor Jeff Davis signed the resolution passed by the Arkansas General Assembly. The push for the designation was led by Love Barton, who headed the Searcy chapter of the Arkansas Floral Emblem Society. At the time, apple growing was a major agricultural industry in Arkansas, particularly in the northwest part of the state, so the blossom carried real economic significance. It wasn't purely symbolic; it represented a livelihood for a large part of the population. The passionflower was also in contention at the time, but the apple blossom won out, likely because of that strong agricultural connection.
Michigan also uses the apple blossom as its state flower, so Arkansas shares this floral emblem with at least one other state. If you're building a comparison of state flowers across the 50 states, that overlap is worth noting.
Arkansas state tree: the Loblolly Pine
The official Arkansas state tree is the pine tree, specifically identified as the Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda). Arkansas Code §1-4-119 declares the pine tree the state tree, and the loblolly is the species most closely associated with that designation, confirmed by University of Arkansas Extension sources noting it was selected in 1939. The loblolly pine is a tall, fast-growing evergreen that dominates the forested areas of southern and eastern Arkansas. It's identified by its long needles (usually 6 to 9 inches) bundled in groups of three, its reddish-brown scaly bark, and its oval cones. It's one of the most commercially important timber trees in the South, which explains its prominence as a state symbol.
How all three symbols fit together
| Symbol | Official Name | Scientific Name | Year Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Bird | Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | 1929 |
| State Flower | Apple Blossom | Malus (Pyrus) coronaria | 1901 |
| State Tree | Loblolly Pine | Pinus taeda | 1939 |
Verify the symbols and compare with other states
All three symbols above are current as of 2026 and are codified in Arkansas law. The Arkansas Code is the authoritative source: §1-4-118 for the state bird, §1-4-109 for the state flower, and §1-4-119 for the state tree. For Arkansas's state bird and state flower, these official code sections are a reliable place to confirm the current symbols §1-4-118 for the state bird. If you want to verify or check for any updates, the Arkansas Legislature's official website has the current code text. These designations have been stable for many decades, so confusion is unlikely, but it's always worth checking the primary source if you're using this for academic or official purposes.
For comparison shopping across states, the mockingbird is a useful case study: five Southern states share it, which makes it one of the most duplicated state birds in the U.S. Arkansas neighbors like Kansas have different birds entirely (the Western Meadowlark), and different flowers too. Kansas has its own state bird and state flower, which differ from Arkansas's Northern Mockingbird and Apple Blossom Arkansas neighbors like Kansas. Kansas’s state bird is the Western Meadowlark. If you're working through a full 50-state survey of state birds and flowers, Arkansas's symbols are among the older designations, with the apple blossom going back to 1901 being particularly early. Exploring individual state bird profiles for neighboring states gives a good sense of the regional patterns and why certain species keep showing up across multiple states.
If you're specifically interested in Arkansas's bird beyond the symbol context, the Northern Mockingbird profile covers identification in much more detail, including how to tell it apart from the Gray Catbird and the Brown Thrasher, two species that share similar habitats and are sometimes confused with it by newer birders.
FAQ
Is the Northern Mockingbird also Arkansas’s state flower?
The state bird and state flower for Arkansas are separate symbols. Arkansas’s state bird is the Northern Mockingbird, and the state flower is the Apple Blossom.
Could Arkansas have the same species listed as both state bird and state flower?
No. The Northern Mockingbird is a state bird of Arkansas (and several other states), but it is not the state flower, and the Apple Blossom is not the state bird. They are codified in different Arkansas code sections.
What should I do if I find conflicting information about Arkansas’s bird or flower?
If you are looking at a source that lists a different apple blossom or a different bird name, double-check whether it is using common names, a subspecies/variety, or an outdated claim. Arkansas’s official selections are the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) and the Apple Blossom (Malus coronaria), so matching the scientific name can help confirm accuracy.
When is the Northern Mockingbird most likely to be heard, and when does the apple blossom usually bloom in Arkansas?
The Northern Mockingbird is a year-round resident in Arkansas, so you can often observe it even outside spring. For the flower, apple blossom typically shows up in late spring, and bloom timing can shift by weather and location within the state.
If another state also has a Northern Mockingbird, does it automatically share Arkansas’s apple blossom too?
While the mockingbird is shared by multiple states, Arkansas’s specific symbol set is unique when you pair bird and flower together. For example, a state that shares the Northern Mockingbird may still have a different state flower, so compare both symbols if you are doing side-by-side research.
What’s the quickest way to tell the Northern Mockingbird apart from similar gray songbirds in Arkansas?
For field ID, the Northern Mockingbird’s two white wingbars and the white flashes in flight are among the most practical cues. For confusing look-alikes mentioned in birding contexts, use behavior and tail-wing patterning, not just overall gray coloration.
Is it better to trust the Arkansas Code directly when writing something official about these symbols?
If you are using Arkansas’s symbols for a school project or official submission, rely on the Arkansas Code sections instead of secondary summaries, since those are the authoritative text and can reflect any updates.
How often do Arkansas’s state bird and state flower symbols change, and should I verify before submitting work?
These symbols are usually stable, but you may still want to verify for a specific year if your assignment specifies a publication date. Arkansas’s official code text is the safest place to confirm nothing has changed.
Next Article
What Is the State Bird of Arkansas? Northern Mockingbird
Arkansas state bird is the northern mockingbird, recognized since 1929, plus easy field marks to spot it.
