The document summarizes key symbols of the state of Texas in 3 sentences or less per symbol. It discusses the cactus, mockingbird, armadillo, pecan, bluebonnet, and monarch butterfly as the state plant, bird, small mammal, nut, flower, and insect. It provides some key facts about each symbol such as their physical characteristics, when they were designated as state symbols, and cultural significance to Texas.

1. Symbols

2. Texas Symbols
Plant- Cactus Bird- Mockingbird
Small Mammal-
Armadillo Nut- Pecan
Flower- Insect- Monarch butterflies
Flag
Bluebonnet

3. Back to
Symbols Cactus Continue
Cactus live in dry hot places.
Their spines are actually the leaves.
They come in
Different size and
shapes

4. Back to Continue
Symbols
Cactus grow different flowers
and come in many different varieties.

5. The inside of a cactus is either
Back to
Symbols
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.

6. Back to
Symbols State bird: Mockingbird Continue
• Texas designated the mockingbird as official state
bird in 1927.

7. Back to
Symbols State bird: Mockingbirds
Click on picture to
Hear mockingbird.
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.ht
ml)

8. Back to
Symbols 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.

9. Back to
Symbols Nut- Pecan Continue
• 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
Symbols
pecans
Pecan Pie
Pecan Ice cream
Roasted Pecans
Fruit cake

11. Back to
Symbols Bluebonnet Continue
• 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

12. Back to
Symbols
Bluebonnets grow across Texas
Click on picture to see fields of bluebonnets

13. Back to
Symbols Insect Continue
• 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

14. Back to
Symbols Monarch migration
Click on picture to view monarch butterflies.

15. Back to
Symbols 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.