Indiana's state flower is celebrated in an annual festival that has a little bit of something for everyone!

Indiana's State Flower, The Peony

Did you know that before the peony was Indiana's official state flower, the zinnia was a top contender for the title? In fact, there was a period in time before 1957 when the zinnia was the official flower.  I mean no shade to zinnias, but I think Indiana made the right choice in changing the state flower to the peony in 1957.

According to the Indiana Historical Bureau, even though the peony blooms in all different colors, there is no specific color for the state flower.

The peony (Paeonia) was adopted as the state flower by the 1957 General Assembly (Indiana Code 1-2-7). From 1931 to 1957 the zinnia was the state flower. The peony blooms the last of May and early June in various shades of red and pink and also in white; it occurs in single and double forms. No particular variety or color was designated by the General Assembly. It is cultivated widely throughout the state and is extremely popular for decorating gravesites for Memorial Day.

Peonies are one of my favorite flowers.  When we bought our house, the people who had it before us planted a few peonies, and I've loved taking care of them.

They are hardy plants (which is nice because I struggle with having a less-than-green thumb), they have beautiful blooms, and they come back each year.  You can see a photo of some of my peony blooms from last year below.

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Indiana's Flower Gets a Colorful Celebration

Each year, our state flower is celebrated with the annual Indiana Peony Festival. The festival is free and will take place on May 17th at Seminary Park in Noblesville.  According to Indy's Child, there are more than 150 vendors offering everything from flowers, plants, bouquets, artwork, and more, all of which will feature the peony.  I can only imagine how pretty this festival is to see in person and how incredible it must smell!

Along with all of the vendors, you'll also want to make sure you clear up some space on your phone for photos or bust out your camera because there will be gorgeous photo backdrops, floral installations, and more.  This festival sounds like a really fun time, and if it sounds like something you'd like to enjoy, Indy's Child has more information here.