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Believe it or not, according to a DCNR Forest Fridays article by Kelly Sitch reproduced by the PA Wilds in 2021:
One of the first mentions of mountain laurel (our State Flower) by colonists is in John Smith’s 1624 “General History of Virginia.” One of the first explorers to describe the species scientifically was Mark Catesby of England in 1743. Among the description of what he called ground laurel (Chamaedaphne foliis) was the following, “As all plants have their peculiar beauties, ’tis difficult to assign to any one an elegance excelling all others, yet considering the curious structure of the flower, and beautiful appearance of this whole plant; I know of no shrub that has a better claim to it.”
"An elegance excelling all others" is a good enough reason to make it our state flower; Governor Pinchot was said to have been encouraged to sign the bill so designating it in 1933 over a competing proposal to choose the pink azalea. Mrs. Pinchot apparently preferred the laurel.
It's hot. In what year was the popsicle invented:
- 1929
- 1850
- 1892
- 1905
Enter each week to increase your chances of a fabulous prize at the end of the month when I'll draw one entry from all correct answers received during the month.
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