A symbol is an object that represents a bigger idea. A symbol can take the place of words when it is the right picture or design. A great example of a symbol is an emoji because it is an image that expresses a certain emotion.
Our state symbols represent special things about Minnesota. The Minnesota state legislature has chosen many items from agriculture as official symbols to represent our state.
Minnesota Governor Walz named the Rusty Patched Bumblebee the official state bee in 2019. It is an endangered species that you might be able to find in your own backyard!
Milk
Minnesota cows produce over one billion gallons of milk each year!
Honeycrisp Apple
Fourth graders from Anderson Elementary in Bayport lobbied the State Legislature to give us this state apple.
Wild Rice
Wild rice was an important food of the Ojibwe for centuries. Minnesota produces over half of the world’s hand-harvested wild rice.
Red (Norway) Pine
The tallest red (Norway) pine in Minnesota stands 120 feet high and is over 200 years old.