Wednesday sure rolled around fast...the days are growing shorter now. I start my days early before the sunrise, but I still never seem to get to everything I want to. Alas, so many projects...too little time. But as promised, here we have the next in the series for the STATE FLOWER QUILT project. (I am still getting some stitching done in the evenings and this one was easy.) History shows that many of the state flowers were chosen by women; somehow not really that surprising. A group of young women at the Maryland Agricultural College took the initiative to select an official state flower in 1896. Their choice was the 'black-eyed susan' because it was so commonly seen throughout the state in waves of gold from summer through autumn. Coincidently, the 'black and gold' also reflected the colors of the coat of arms for the first Lord Baltimore. It seemed fitting. But many thought this flower was not fitting and were opposed, siting that it was not a native species. An article in the Baltimore Sun criticized the choice as well, and referred to it as a common vagabond saying, "Susan came to Maryland--not on the Ark, or by Dove, but as a migrant from the midwest mixed in with clover and hayseed." ( Ouch! ) Some rallied behind the goldenrod instead. But farmers declared them both "noxious weeds".
In spite of those early controversies, Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) was designated and made official by the General Assembly on April 18, 1918. Today it is a cherished state flower, and seems a natural choice as the colors blend nicely with the state flag and state bird (the Baltimore Oriole.) See how gorgeous he is?
As a side note, in 1986 the Maryland State Hwy department planted over 300 acres of wild flowers to help reduce air pollution, provide wildlife habitat, and to generally enhance the highways. A mix of both native and naturalized wildflower seeds were scattered. Eventually, the black-eye susan, with it's enduring staying power and tolerance for dry, poor soil, became the predominant species.
Flowers are native to the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains and are commonly found in gardens, along roadsides, fields, and open areas where they easily propogate and spread. They are perennial daisies (annuals in cold climates), similar to the coneflower (also in the sunflower family) and butterflies are attracted to them as they provde a sweet nectar for many months. The root is used in traditional folk remedies to treat colds and support the immune system, similar to echinaeca.
NOTES: Images should be 4 x 4 to fit a 6.5" quilt block. This allows for a 1/4" seam allowance and a finished block measuring 6 x 6. To get the image: RIGHT CLICK to save it as a file, or for size options LEFT CLICK on image and choose the 'all sizes' link on Flickr. If you are visiting my blog for the first time, and/or just starting this project--download the original stitch guide and color chart here as a PDF for a quick reference: STATE FLOWER QUILT
