Wisconsin
What is Wisconsin’s state flower? How and why was it chosen?
25 Wisconsin state symbols, from the robin, muskie badger, dairy cow
Here are 25 official Wisconsin State symbols as listed in the 2021-22 Blue Book.
Lou Saldivar, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Many people know that the badger is Wisconsin’s state animal, the robin is our state bird, and milk is our state beverage.
But, did you know that each state also has a state flower?
Here’s what to know about Wisconsin’s state flower and the story behind it.
What is Wisconsin’s state flower?
Wisconsin’s state flower is the wood violet, known in the scientific community as Viola papilionacea.
According to Authentic Wisconsin, wood violets are irregular in shape, and the flowers are deep blue-purple, violet or white with blue markings. The flowers have white throats and stems that droop slightly. This gives them the appearance of a head bending toward the ground, perhaps why the flower is associated with modesty and decency, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center says.
Wood violets typically have five petals. The upper two petals generally boast a deeper shade of purple. Two of the lower petals often have fine hairs and are separated by a third lower and broader petal where pollinators land. The flowers are in peak bloom from April to June.
Wood violet flowers and young leaves are edible, Authentic Wisconsin says. Leaves have high levels of vitamins A and C.
Why is the wood violet Wisconsin’s state flower?
According to the Wisconsin Blue Book, school children in 1908 nominated four candidates for the state flower: the wood violet, wild rose, trailing arbutus and white water lily. On Arbor Day 1909, the final vote was taken, and the wood violet won. It was officially recognized as Wisconsin’s state flower by law in 1949.
However, Wisconsin residents admired the wood violet long before it was the state’s official flower, Proflowers.com says. Pictures of the flower appeared on a state stamp all the way back in 1848.
Are wood violets native to Wisconsin?
Yes, wood violets are native to Wisconsin and much of eastern North America.
According to Proflowers, wood violets can be found in nearly all Wisconsin counties and thrive in wet woodlands.
Does Wisconsin share a state flower with any other states?
Wisconsin is the only state that claims the wood violet as its state flower, however, three other states have the violet as their state flower: Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island.
More: How are Wisconsin’s state symbols, like the state bird, chosen? Schoolchildren often play a part.
More: What is your state’s official flower? Here’s a list of the state flower for all 50 US states
About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry on Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometres) southwest of Wisconsin’s capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.
The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.
Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.
Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.
Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”
Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.
The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.
MILWAUKEE – Friday’s severe storms have passed. And with that, the threat of any severe weather has also passed for the immediate future as no storms or rain are expected for several days.
However, plenty of damage remains across southeastern Wisconsin as of Saturday morning, in addition to the ongoing flooding threat.
Several area rivers are at flood stage, and there are multiple river flood warnings in effect.
FOX6 Weekend WakeUp on Saturday begins at 6 a.m.
On the scene in the morning
What we know:
Farmstead damage in Franklin
FOX6’s Hayley Spitler is in Franklin on Saturday morning, April 18, getting a daylight look at the damage from last night’s storms.
Storm damage in Caledonia
Friday’s storms left quite the mark across southern and southeastern Wisconsin, including at L and L Farms and Greenhouse in Caledonia.
FOX6 Weather Extras
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
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School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 Weather Experts in social media
The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.
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