When you think of Florida, you may imagine white sandy beaches, the vast swaps of the Everglades, cups of orange juice, or bustling cities like Miami and Tampa. This southern state is also home to a subtropical climate that makes it a great habitat for all sorts of plants and flowers. But what is the state flower of Florida?
Thanks to its acres of orange groves, the orange blossom is the Florida state flower. Not only is this flower beautiful, but it fills the air with a sweet fragrance and is important to Florida’s citrus economy.
History of the Florida State Flower
The Florida state legislature selected the orange blossom as the state flower in 1909. While the lawmakers had many flowers to choose from, they selected the orange blossom due to its importance in the Florida citrus industry. The Sunshine State has close to 250,000 acres of orange groves in southern and central Florida. Not only do these trees produce thousands of tons of fruit, but they also produce millions of flowers.
In the late winter and spring, these orange groves come alive with the sweet, fruity smell of the white orange blossoms. Walking amidst these fragrant flowers is simply divine! The flowers last into the early summer before they turn into small fruits.
About the Orange Blossom
People use the term orange blossom to refer to the flowers of any type of sweet orange tree. Whether you’re looking at a navel orange, Valencia orange, or blood orange tree, all of these plants produce orange blossoms.
The blossoms are small and white with five distinct petals arranged in a star shape. Bright yellow stamens appear in the middle of the petals. Although the flowers are around an inch wide, they emit a strong and pleasant fragrance that’s sweet and citrusy with hints of floral. The blossoms typically appear on orange trees in the spring.
Caring for Orange Blossoms
If you want to grow an orange tree at home, you don’t have to live in Florida. However, you do need to provide these trees with lots of sun and warm temperatures. Since many areas of the United States are too cold for overwintering orange trees outdoors, many gardeners opt to grow dwarf trees in pots. Although these trees won’t grow as large as their in-ground relatives, they will still produce the fragrant Florida state flower we love!
No matter if you’re growing an orange tree in a container or in the ground, provide it with rich, well-draining soil. Provide at least eight hours of direct light to encourage the plants to flower and fruit. If you’re moving your plant between the indoors and outdoors, bring it inside when the temperatures dip below 50°F. It often takes a tree a few years to flower, so don’t stress if you don’t spot blossom the first year.
Orange Blossom Uses
It’s no surprise that orange blossoms turn into the sweet, juicy oranges we love. However, these flowers also have other benefits and uses! People have found ways to harness their lovely fragrance and enjoy it after the flowers have left the trees.
Orange Blossom Water
You may have heard of rose water, but what about orange blossom water? This ingredient is popular with cultures throughout North Africa and the Middle East. The fragrant water is used to flavor sweets including baklava, gibassier, and pastiera. People also use it to add flavor to water and coffee.
Orange Blossom Honey
If you drive through orange groves when the flowers are blooming, you’ll likely see boxes of honeybee hives scattered throughout the trees. These buzzing bees pollinate the fragrant flowers and encourage fruit formation. While the trees are thankful for the pollination, the bees delight in the sweet nectar and pollen the flowers produce.
And we get to benefit from this symbiotic relationship! Since orange groves are often vast, the bees end up feeding mainly on the orange blossom nectar. The result is a super sweet honey with a hint of fruit.
Essential Oil
People have also found ways to distill essential oil from the orange blossoms. Two main essential oils arise from these flowers: orange blossom oil and neroli.
Orange blossom oil is typically produced via solvent extraction and has a sweet, floral fragrance. People use it in perfumes and skin care products.
Neroli is made via stream extraction and has a different fragrance than orange blossom oil; it’s still sweet, but has more spicy and green notes. Rumor has it that neroli is one of the ingredients in the original Coca-Cola recipe. It’s also used in perfumes and for aromatherapy.
Learn More About State Flowers
Now that you know about the state flower of Florida you can take a moment to look at the special blooms of other states. We have a full list of state flowers complete with fun facts about each state’s florals. You can also take a deep dive into other special blooms—for example, you can learn about the Texas state flower.
And when it comes time to order flowers for yourself or a loved one, The Bouqs is here for you! We offer easy flower delivery so you can send a bouquet to your kind neighbor or your friend on the other side of the country. With options ranging from moody holiday arrangements to bright birthday bouquets, you can find something for everyone on your list.
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