Washington State Flower

Sandra Allen lives in North Texas, so we recently posted a photo of a field of bluebonnets -- the official Texas State Flower. Since Sandy Nachlinger lives in Washington State, today we're featuring its official flower too -- the rhododendron. Both Washington and Texas are settings in I.O.U. SEX.
This dwarf rhododendron blooms in Sandy N's front yard.

And this rhodie is in her backyard.

Coast Rhododendron
In 1892, before they had the right to vote, Washington women selected the coast rhododendron as 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, but the final decision was narrowed to clover and the "rhodie," and voting booths were set up for ladies throughout the state. When the ballots were counted, the rhododendron had been chosen as the Washington state flower. In 1959, the Legislature designated the native species, Rhododendron macrophyllum, as the official flower of the state of Washington.