The Flowers of the Confederacy

   Although unofficially adopted by the Confederate Government as the official flowers of the Confederate States of America. The white Crinum Lily, a native American Lily found in the most Southern states, and the Confederate Rose, the only native American Hybiscus found in the Gulf states. These specific flowers were adopted by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1894 as part of the beautification of Confederate soldiers' graves in cemeteries across the country, inspired by the 18th-century English poem "The Lily & The Rose" by Sir William Cowper.  

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The nymph must lose her female friend
If more admired than she, —
But where will fierce contention end
If flowers can disagree?

"Within the garden's peaceful scene
Appeared two lovely foes,
Aspiring to the rank of queen,
The Lily and the Rose.

The Rose soon reddened into rage,
And swelling with disdain,
Appealed to many a poet's page
To prove her right to reign.

The Lily's height bespoke command,
A fair imperial flower,
She seemed designed for Flora's hand,
The sceptre of her power.

This civil bickering and debate
The goddess chanced to hear,
And flew to save, ere yet too late,
The pride of the parterre.

Yours is, she said, the nobler hue,
And yours the statelier mien,
And till a third surpasses you,
Let each be deemed a queen.

Thus soothed and reconciled, each seeks
The fairest British fair,
The seat of empire is her cheeks,
They reign united there.​"

 

 

The Magnolia Tree is used as the third flower as they were prominent in the homes of plantation owners and civil officials for the large shaded areas, heat tolerance, and fragrant flowers in the spring. Here in Texas, due to the folk song "The Yellow Rose of Texas" that was brought to other Southern States by the men of Hood's Texas Brigade. The Nacogdoches Rose, which is a wild native Texas rose, was also adopted as the fourth flower, in lew of the Magnolia.