This Day In History – June 20th Missouri Designated Dogwood As Official State Tree

On this date in history, June 20^th, the State of Missouri officially designated a state tree.

Legislation enacting this statute was created and passed during the regular session of the 68th General Assembly, which also tackled several issues needing immediate resolve.

In between debates on a report that followed the prison riot of the Missouri State Penitentiary the previous year, reorganizing state mental hospitals and reorganizing the executive branch, Missouri Senators also spent time discussing the cornice Florida l, or flowering dogwood.

According to the Secretary of State’s website, the tree is small in size, rarely growing over 40ft in height or 18 inches in diameter.

In the fall, the upper part of the leaves turn scarlet or orange, and bright red fruits grow in the flowering dogwood, and it became the official state tree on June 20, 1955.