U.S. state · FL
Flag of Florida
The Florida flag is white with a red diagonal cross, or saltire, and the state seal in the center. The red bars were added after a vote in 1900, most often explained as a way to keep the flag from looking like a plain white flag of surrender when hanging limp.
What the Florida state flag looks like
The state flag of Florida is a white rectangle with a red saltire, the diagonal cross that runs from corner to corner. In the center, over the crossing point, is the Great Seal of the State of Florida, a round emblem in full color.
The seal shows a number of scenes drawn from the state:
- a Native American woman scattering flowers on the ground;
- a sabal palm, the state tree;
- a steamboat on a body of water;
- the sun's rays over a distant highland in the background.
The edge of the seal carries the words "Great Seal of the State of Florida" and the motto "In God We Trust."
Florida flag meaning and symbolism
The red saltire has no officially stated meaning. It is the shape of the St. Andrew's cross, and the reason it was added is not documented, with theories including the Spanish Cross of Burgundy and the Alabama flag. The flag is also very close to the Alabama flag, which is why people ask why Alabama and Florida flags look so similar. Both use a red saltire on white, and the difference is that Florida adds its seal in the middle.
The scenes in the seal are usually read this way:
- The Native American woman is read as a nod to the Native American heritage of the state.
- The steamboat resembles the side-wheel steamers of the 1800s and is read as a sign of commerce and river travel.
- The sabal palm represents the state's natural landscape.
- The sun and the flowers suggest a warm climate and the state's nickname, the Sunshine State.
History of the Florida flag
Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845 as the 27th state. Between 1868 and 1900 the flag of Florida was the state seal on a white background.
In 1900, Florida voters ratified a constitutional amendment, by 5,088 votes to 3,819 on 6 November, that added red diagonal bars to the flag. A 1965 book says the bars were suggested by former Governor Francis P. Fleming, who thought the plain white field resembled a flag of truce when hanging limp. No definitive proof of the reason survives, and other theories point to the Cross of Burgundy of Spanish Florida or to Alabama's flag.
The flag has been changed once since then, on 21 May 1985, when the state seal was redrawn to correct inconsistencies that had persisted since 1868, including a misidentified cocoa palm (now a sabal palm), a Plains-style Native American woman, unrealistic mountains and a steamboat of questionable seaworthiness. This version is the current Florida flag.
Interesting facts
- The flag is sometimes confused with Alabama's, which has no seal.
- Florida's motto "In God We Trust" is also found on U.S. coins and paper money.
- Florida joined the Union in 1845 as the 27th state.
- Florida is one of three U.S. state flags that include the words "In God We Trust", along with Georgia and Mississippi.
Compare it with Alabama and other U.S. state flags, or see the flag of the United States.
Florida flag colors
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0#C60013RGB
198, 0, 19CMYK
0, 100, 90, 22#D96B16RGB
217, 107, 22CMYK
0, 51, 90, 15Florida flag facts
| Adopted | November 6, 1900 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Symbols | saltire |
| State capital | Tallahassee |
| State motto | In God We Trust |
| Population | 21,538,187 |
Florida state flag FAQ
Why are Alabama and Florida flags so similar?
Both use a red St. Andrew's cross on a white field. Alabama's flag has only the cross, while Florida's puts the state seal in the center.
Why was the Florida flag changed?
The red saltire was added in 1900, when voters ratified a constitutional amendment. No record states exactly why; a commonly told explanation is that a plain white flag looked like a flag of truce. The seal was standardized in 1985.
Who is the woman on the Florida flag?
She is a Native American woman shown on the state seal, scattering flowers. The law describes her only as a Native American female.
What does the Florida flag symbolize?
The red cross has no official meaning, while the seal shows a sabal palm, a steamboat, the sun's rays over a highland and a Native American woman scattering flowers.
What was the original Florida flag like?
The 1868 flag was white with the state seal in the center and no red cross. The cross was added by a vote in 1900.
What is special about the Florida state flag?
It is a white flag with a red saltire and the state seal in the center, and it looks much like Alabama's flag, which has no seal. It is also one of three U.S. state flags, with Georgia and Mississippi, that carry the words "In God We Trust".
