The United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C. opens an exhibition dedicated to the official flowers of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and territories. The exhibit, open until October 12, includes a treasure hunt that leads visitors through greenhouses and outdoor gardens to locate each species.
How digital technology guides the search for official flowers 🌸
The experience is supported by a mobile app with interactive maps and QR codes at each station. Scanning them reveals taxonomic information, growing conditions, and historical data for each flower. The system allows you to record the species found and compare climatic differences between regions, from Hawaii's orchid to California's poppy.
Your state's flower, the one you've never seen but swear exists 🌻
The treasure hunt reveals that many states chose flowers that don't even grow well there. Alaska boasts forget-me-nots, but in the greenhouse they need air conditioning. And Arizona's cactus looks so lost among Washington's humidity that it seems like a tourist in flip-flops. At least the app doesn't ask for ID to confirm you're from that state.