Symbols

Texas Symbols

Plant- Cactus Bird- MockingbirdSmall Mammal- Armadillo Nut- Pecan

Flower- Bluebonnet

Insect- Monarch butterflies Flag

CactusCactus live in dry hot places.

Their spines are actually the leaves.

They come in Different size and shapes

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Cactus grow different flowers and come in many different varieties.

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The inside of a cactus is either hollow or spongy depending on the type of cactus. This is where they store water.

The outside of the cactus has a thick, waxy coating to keep the water inside.

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State bird: Mockingbird

• Texas designated the mockingbird as official state bird in 1927.

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State bird: Mockingbirds

Northern Mockingbirds have extraordinary vocal abilities - they can sing up to 200 songs, including the songs of other birds, insect and amphibian sounds, even an occasional mechanical noise. (http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Texas/Mockingbird.html)

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Click on picture to Hear mockingbird.

Small mammal- Armadillo

• On June 16th, 1995, the nine-banded armadillo has been officially declared as the state animal of Texas.

• The Texas species of nine-banded armadillo has a distinct shell casing made out of bone. They have 30 or 32 peg shaped teeth, and a really long tongue. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/texas-state-animal-nine-banded-armadillo.html

• Armadillos eat insects.

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Nut- Pecan

• The Pecan tree was designated the official state tree of Texas in 1919.

• Fossil remains found in Texas show that our native pecan tree was here long before humans came on the scene. (http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Texas/Tree_Pecan.html)

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There are many ways we enjoy pecans

Pecan Pie

Pecan Ice cream

Roasted Pecans

Fruit cake

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Bluebonnet

• The bluebonnet was designated the official state flower of Texas in 1901. Also called buffalo clover, wolf flower, and el conejo (Spanish for "the rabbit"). http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Texas/Flower_Bluebonnet.html

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Bluebonnets grow across TexasBack to Symbols

Click on picture to see fields of bluebonnets

Insect

• Texas designated the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as the official state insect in 1995. Both the caterpillar and adult monarch butterfly are brilliant in color as a warning to predators (the monarch ingests toxins from the milkweed plant which are poisonous. http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Texas/Insect_Monarch_Butterfly.html

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Monarch migrationBack to Symbols

Click on picture to view monarch butterflies.

Texas Flag

• Each color of the flag of Texas has special meaning. The white represents purity, the blue stands for the virtue of loyalty, and the red on the Texas state flag symbolizes bravery.

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