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Indiana
Legislators Turn Down Native Fire Pink as State Flower
The
children of Indiana have spoken. But is anybody listening?
During
the 2001 Indiana legislative session, several state lawmakers
effectively quashed a bill that would have changed the state
flower from the non-native peony to the native fire pink
(Silene virginica).
Four
years ago, more than 27,000 Indiana 4th-graders voted in
a poll to change the state flower, and the overwhelming
winner was the fire pink. The peony, which hails from China,
has been the state flower since 1957, but a campaign that
began in the early 1990s seeks to change that.
The
Indiana Academy of Sciences spoke to 55 experts from around
the state, who devised a list of 13 plants — all natives
— that would represent the state well. Fourth-grade
students throughout Indiana then voted on the slate of 13,
and fire pink won by a substantial margin of 2,000 votes.
By coincidence, the 55 experts had also selected the fire
pink as their first choice, according to Bill McKnight of
the Indiana Academy of Sciences, one of the people instrumental
in starting the campaign in the early 1990s.
After
the vote, the campaign’s supporters had to find a legislator
to sponsor a bill. State Senator Robert Jackman (R-Milroy)
agreed to do it. "The kids have spoken," Jackman said. "They’ve
chosen this flower over the peony, and they need to know
that their voice will be heard by the legislature."
Despite
his support — joined by others in the Indiana Senate
and the House — the bill was not granted a hearing
in the public policy committee, Jackman said. But the push
for the fire pink is far from over. Sen. Jackman plans to
meet with Carolyn Harstad of the Indiana Native Plant and
Wildflower Society later this year to discuss strategies
for the next legislative session. — Adam Wilson
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