Fast Facts
March 27, 2006
The Castilian and Burgundian flags of Spain, the Mexican flag, the Confederate flag and the flag of the United States have all flown over the land area that has become Arizona.
The saguaro cactus blossom is the official state flower. The white flower blooms on the tips of the saguaro cactus during May and June. The saguaro is the largest American cactus.
Arizona leads the nation in copper production.
Petrified wood is the official state fossil. Most petrified wood comes from the Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona.
The amount of copper on the roof of the Capitol building is equivalent to 4.8 million pennies.
The Arizona trout is found only in Arizona.
The paloverde is the official state tree. Its name means “”green stick,”” and it blooms a brilliant yellow-gold in April or May.
The cactus wren is the official state bird. It grows 7 to 8 inches long and likes to build nests in the protection of thorny desert plants like the arms of the giant saguaro cactus.
Turquoise is the official state gemstone. The blue-green stone has a somewhat waxy surface and can be found throughout the state.
Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time on a year-round basis. The one exception is the Navajo Nation, located in the northeast corner of the state, which observes daylight-saving time.
The battleship USS Arizona was commissioned in 1913 and launched in 1915 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
