Bill naming the native sweetbay magnolia Georgia’s state flower is running out of time to bloom

By: Juliana Milevsky

Outlets: Georgia Recorder

Published: April 1, 2026

Words: 940

Last Updated: 2 months, 2 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

Georgia could soon have an official new state flower.

Senate Bill 240, sponsored by Milledgeville Republican Sen. Rick Williams, calls for changing the state floral emblem from the invasive Cherokee rose, which is native to southern China, to the native sweetbay magnolia.

Similar bills have run into opposition in the past, including from the chairman of a powerful Senate committee that decides which bills advance, but he appears to have had …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us