North Carolina isn't just a place on a map. It’s a mood. If you've ever stood on the Outer Banks while a gale-force wind tries to rip your hat off, or smelled the damp, sweet rot of a hemlock forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you know what I mean. But when we talk about North Carolina state symbols, things usually get a bit clinical. People memorize a list for a fourth-grade social studies test and then never think about it again.
That’s a mistake. Honestly, the symbols this state chose—and the ones it’s still fighting over—tell a much weirder, grittier story than most history books let on.
The Dogwood and the Cardinal: More Than Just Pretty Faces
You see the Northern Cardinal everywhere. It’s the state bird of seven different states. Boring, right? Maybe. But North Carolina was actually the first to claim it back in 1943. Before that, the state didn't even have an official bird. There was a weird period where people just sort of assumed it was the Carolina Chickadee, but the legislature eventually stepped in. Why the Cardinal? Because it stays year-round. It doesn't ditch the state when the humidity hits 100% in July or when a mountain ice storm coats the power lines. It’s stubborn.
✨ Don't miss: What's the temperature in Tucson Arizona: What Most People Get Wrong
The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is the state flower, and it’s basically the signaling flare for spring in the South. If you’ve spent any time in Raleigh or Charlotte in April, you’ve seen those white and pink petals everywhere. But here’s the thing: those "petals" aren't actually petals. They're bracts. They are modified leaves meant to protect the tiny, yellow actual flowers in the center. It’s a bit of a metaphor for the state itself—tougher and more complex under the surface than the delicate exterior suggests.
The General Assembly made it official in 1941. At the time, there was a massive push to beautify the state’s highways. They wanted something that could grow from the coast to the mountains. The Dogwood fit the bill.
The Mystery of the "Tar Heel" Moniker
You can't discuss North Carolina state symbols without addressing the "Tar Heel" nickname. It’s not an official "symbol" in the legislative sense like a rock or a berry, but it's the brand. If you ask a random person in Oregon what a North Carolinian is, they'll say a Tar Heel.
Where did it come from? Most people point to the Civil War. The legend goes that during one of the battles—possibly near the Chickahominy in Virginia—some North Carolina troops were holding their ground while other units retreated. Someone supposedly yelled out, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" to which a North Carolinian replied, "No, Jefferson Davis bought it all up to put on your heels to make you stick in the next fight."
It sounds like a cool, defiant story. But the reality is probably messier. North Carolina was the world’s leading producer of naval stores—turpentine, rosin, and pitch—for centuries. The Longleaf Pine forests were basically open-air chemical factories. Slaves and poor laborers worked in the sticky, black sludge of the kiln sites. Walking around barefoot in those areas meant you literally had tar on your heels. It started as a slur. It was a way for people in Virginia or South Carolina to look down on the "backward" North Carolinians.
Then, like many great cultural icons, the state just owned it. They took a derogatory term for a manual laborer and turned it into a badge of pride.
The State Toast: A Poem No One Can Recite
Did you know North Carolina has an official state toast? Hardly anyone knows the words, which is a shame because they're actually quite beautiful. It was written in 1904 by Leonora Martin and Mary Burke Hingins.
🔗 Read more: Is the DoubleTree by Hilton Alana - Waikiki Beach Actually Worth It?
"Here's to the land of the longleaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here's to 'Down Home,' the Old North State!"
It’s been read at every gubernatorial inauguration for decades. It mentions the "longleaf pine" first for a reason. That tree is the biological backbone of the coastal plain. Without the Pinus palustris, the state’s early economy would have been nonexistent. We’re talking about trees that can live for 500 years and grow over 100 feet tall. They require fire to survive—the seeds won’t even germinate properly without the heat of a forest fire.
The Venus Flytrap: The World’s Weirdest Native
This is the one that blows people's minds. The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is the state carnivorous plant. It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie or a tropical rainforest in Borneo.
But it’s not from Borneo. It’s from Wilmington.
The Venus Flytrap is endemic to a tiny, roughly 75-mile radius around Wilmington, North Carolina. That’s it. It’s the only place on Earth where they grow naturally in the wild. They love the boggy, nutrient-poor soil of the Green Swamp. Because the soil lacks nitrogen, the plants had to evolve a way to "eat" protein.
If you see one in the wild, don't touch it. Poaching flytraps is a felony in North Carolina. It’s a serious crime. People have actually gone to prison for digging them up to sell on the black market. It’s a fierce little plant, and the state protects it with equal ferocity.
Gray Squirrels vs. The World
The Eastern Gray Squirrel became the state mammal in 1969. To be honest, this one feels a bit uninspired. We have black bears, red wolves (the rarest canid in the world, found only in NC), and wild Banker horses. But we chose the squirrel.
Why? Because school kids voted for it.
There’s a long tradition in the General Assembly of letting school children propose and vote on North Carolina state symbols. It’s a civics lesson. The kids liked the squirrel because they saw it every day. It’s relatable. It’s also incredibly resilient. Have you ever tried to keep a squirrel out of a bird feeder? You can't. They are the structural engineers of the rodent world.
The Scuppernong Grape: A Taste of 1584
If you want a symbol you can actually taste, look at the Scuppernong. It’s the state fruit. It’s a variety of Muscadine grape, and it’s huge—roughly the size of a golf ball. The skin is thick, and the flavor is intensely sweet and musky.
The "Mother Vine" still grows on Roanoke Island. It’s estimated to be over 400 years old. Think about that. That vine was likely growing when the "Lost Colony" was struggling to survive. It’s survived hurricanes, droughts, and the encroaching development of the Outer Banks.
Most people outside the South hate Muscadines. They find the texture weird and the seeds annoying. But for a North Carolinian, a cold Scuppernong on a humid August afternoon is basically a religious experience.
Milk, Sweet Potatoes, and the Blue Ghost
North Carolina’s list of symbols is incredibly long. It includes:
- The Sweet Potato: NC produces more of these than any other state in the US.
- Milk: The state beverage (chosen in 1987, much to the chagrin of Cheerwine fans).
- The Channel Bass: The state saltwater fish, often called a Red Drum.
- The Blue Ghost Firefly: While not the "official" state insect (that’s the Honey Bee), it’s a massive cultural symbol in the mountains. These fireflies don’t flash; they glow with a steady, eerie blue light for minutes at a time.
Wait. Let’s talk about the Honey Bee. It became the state insect in 1973. It makes sense from an agricultural perspective. Without bees, the state’s multi-billion dollar farming industry collapses. But there’s a quiet movement to include the Luna Moth or the Blue Ghost because, let’s be real, the Honey Bee isn’t even native to North America. European settlers brought them over.
The Emerald and the Granite
We even have a state Christmas tree (the Fraser Fir) and a state rock (Granite). The Mount Airy granite quarry is so big it can be seen from space. It’s the world's largest open-face granite quarry. If you’ve seen a grand municipal building in DC or Pennsylvania, there’s a decent chance the stone came from North Carolina.
Then there’s the Emerald. In 1964, a massive 1,438-carat emerald was found in Hiddenite, NC. It’s called the "Carolina Emerald." North Carolina is one of the few places in North America where you can actually find high-quality emeralds, rubies, and sapphires in the ground.
Why These Symbols Actually Matter
You might think this is just trivia. It’s not. Symbols are how a state defines its identity. North Carolina has always been a "valley of humility between two mountains of conceit" (referring to Virginia and South Carolina).
🔗 Read more: Why the Rocky Balboa Stairs Philly Experience is Still Worth the Burn
The symbols reflect that. They aren't flashy or gold-plated. They are things found in the dirt, the swamps, and the pine barrens. They are things that survive.
Whether it's the North Carolina state symbols like the Pine Barren Treefrog (the state frog) or the Stock Car Racing (the state sport), there's a theme of "stick-to-itiveness." We like things that are local, things that are a bit weird, and things that have a history of being overlooked.
Actionable Ways to Experience NC Symbols
If you actually want to see these things instead of just reading about them, here’s what you do:
- Visit the Mother Vine: Head to Manteo on Roanoke Island. You can see the 400-year-old Scuppernong vine for yourself. It’s on private property but visible from the road.
- Hike the Green Swamp: Go to the Green Swamp Preserve near Supply, NC, in May or June. You can see Venus Flytraps in their natural habitat. Just stay on the path.
- Check out Mount Airy: Visit "The Granite City." You can see the massive quarry and even visit the Andy Griffith Museum while you're there.
- The State Museum of Natural Sciences: Located in Raleigh, this place has an incredible collection of the state’s gems and minerals, including some massive local emeralds.
- Eat a Sweet Potato: Seriously. Go to a local BBQ joint and get the sweet potato casserole. It’s the state fruit/vegetable in its peak form.
Understanding these symbols gives you a shortcut to understanding the people. We aren't just the "Old North State" because it sounds cool. We're the Old North State because we have 400-year-old vines, carnivorous plants that only grow here, and a nickname born from the sticky resin of the trees that built the American navy. That's not just history. It's the literal ground we walk on.