William Livingston Larned’s Ode to the Orange Blossom – Florida’s State Flower

"But just a scent,
On pleasure bent,
Of orange sweet,
The nostrils greet,
And from our dreams, the castles rise,
Of groves and meadows 'neath calm skies.

November 15, 1909

On this day, the orange blossom was designated the state flower of Florida.

The poet, William Livingston Larned, was so inspired by the choice that he wrote a poem called Florida's State Flower.

The last little bit goes like this:

Whenever you see the spotless bud,
You know tis Florida the fair.
And wafted to you comes the scent
Of all the blissful regions there.

The rose may have its followers,
The violet its standard, too;
The fleur-de-lis and lily fair
In tints of red and pink and blue;
But just a scent,
On pleasure bent,
Of orange sweet,
The nostrils greet,
And from our dreams, the castles rise,
Of groves and meadows 'neath calm skies.