Votes for Women and the rhododendron

So what does the state flower have to do with women's suffrage?

In 1892, before they had the right to vote, Washington women were asked to select the state flower. They wanted an official flower to enter in a floral exhibit at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. Six flowers were considered the dogwood, syringa, gaillardia, Washington holly, marguerite, and the wild rose. The final decision was narrowed to clover and the "rhodie,"

Voting booths were set up for ladies throughout the state. Voters flocked to post offices, drugstores, hotels, and other public business places across the state to cast their ballots for the official state flower. There were no landslide victories in this contest. In the end, when the ballots were counted the coast rhododendron was favored by capturing 53 percent of the 15,000 ballots cast.

The Washington Senate took action and approved the coast rhododendron as the official state flower on February 10, 1893, in time for the Exposition's opening on May 1st. In 1959, the Legislature designated the native species, Rhododendron macrophyllum, as the official flower of the state of Washington.

To commemorate the centennial of the passage of women’s suffrage in Washington State, Briggs Nursery in Olympia has propagated a special hybrid rhododendron “Emma and May” in honor of the leaders of the Washington state suffrage campaign. This beautiful fragrant plant features frosty pink flowers. Would you like to add one to your garden? This lovely flower with a story to tell will be on sale during the book signing and mansion tour event on June 18th.

Photo courtesy of Briggs Nursery Olmpia.