List of New Mexico state symbols

This is a list of the officially designated symbols of the U.S. state of New Mexico. Most such designations are found in §12.3 of the New Mexico Statutes.^[1][2] The majority of the items in the list are officially recognized after a law is passed by the state legislature. New Mexico is the first state to adopt a state question: "Red or green?," referring to chile peppers. The state also has a prescribed answer: "Red and green" or "Christmas," encouraging the use of both colors of chile.

Location of the state of New Mexico in the United States

A New Mexico state quarter

Insignia

Further information: List of U.S. state, district, and territorial insignia

• Flag: Flag of New Mexico (1925)^[3]
• Seal: Seal of New Mexico (1913)
• Motto: Crescit eundo, It Grows as it Goes (Latin). (1887)^{[4][N 1]}
• Nickname: Land of Enchantment; Spanish: Tierra del Encanto, or Tierra Encantada (1999)^{[5][N 2]}
• Slogan: "Everybody is somebody in New Mexico" (1975)
• Question: "Red or Green?" (1999) – see New Mexico state question^{[N 3]}
• Answer: "Red and Green" or "Christmas". (2007)^[1][6]

Capital

• Capital: Santa Fe (1610)^{[N 4]}

Music

• Song: O Fair New Mexico, Spanish: O, Justo Nuevo México (1917)
• Spanish song: Spanish: Asi Es Nuevo México, Such is New Mexico (1971)
• Bilingual song: Spanish: New Mexico-Mi Lindo Nuevo México, New Mexico-My Lovely New Mexico (1995)
• Cowboy song: Under New Mexico Skies (2009)^[7]
• March: none official
  • Unofficial: The New Mexico March by John Philip Sousa^[5]
  • Unofficial: O Fair New Mexico (arranged as a march by Sousa)

Flora

• Flower: Yucca flower (1927) ^{[N 5]}
• Tree: Two-needle piñon pine (Pinus edulis) (1949)
• Grass: Blue grama (Bouteloua gracillis) (1973)

Foods

• Cookie: Biscochito (1989)
• Vegetables: frijoles (pinto beans) (1965) and Chile (1965)

Fauna

• Amphibian: New Mexico spadefoot toad (Spea multiplicata) (2003)
• Animal: New Mexico black bear (1963)
• Bird: Chaparral bird (greater roadrunner) (1949)
• Butterfly: Sandia hairstreak (2003)
• Fish: Rio Grande cutthroat trout (1955)
• Insect: Tarantula hawk wasp (Pepsis grossa) (1989)
• Reptile: New Mexico whiptail lizard (Cnemidophorus neomexicanus) (2003)^[8]

Geology

• Fossil: Coelophysis (1981)
• Gem: Turquoise (1967)

Other

Type	Symbol	Year
Historic Railroad	Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad^[9]	2005
Necklace	The Squash Blossom Necklace^[10]	2011
Guitar	New Mexico Sunrise, a custom guitar designed and handcrafted by Pimentel and Sons^[11]	2009
Ballad	Land of Enchantment, Spanish: Tierra del Encanto, or Tierra Encantada	1989
Poem	Spanish: A Nuevo México, To New Mexico	1991
Tie	Bolo tie	2007
Ship	USS New Mexico (BB-40)	1918–1946
	USS New Mexico (SSN-779)	2008
Aircraft	Hot air balloon, symbol of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta	2005^[5]
Aroma	The aroma of green chile roasting^[12]	2023^[13]
Clean-up Mascot	Dusty Roadrunner^[14]	1969^[15]

Notes

1. Crescit eundo was added to the territorial seal in 1882. This change was officially adopted by the legislature in 1887.^[4]
2. "Land of Enchantment" was first coined by Lillian Whiting in a book on the state in 1906. The slogan later appeared on New Mexico license plates in 1941; a trademark was obtained by the state in 1947. It was not until June 18, 1999 that the phrase was adopted as the official nickname.^[5]
3. The official state question refers to a question commonly heard at restaurants, where waiters will ask customers "red or green?" in reference to which kind of chili pepper or chile sauce the customers wants served with their meal.
4. Santa Fe is the longest serving capital in the United States, since 1610.
5. No species name is listed in state statutes, however the New Mexico Centennial Blue Book from 2012 references the soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) as one of the more widespread species in New Mexico.

Further reading

• "State Symbols". New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
• "state symbols of New Mexico in New Mexico". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
• Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. (PDF). New Mexico Centennial Blue Book 2012 (PDF). Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. pp. 138–168. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2012-12-27. (PDF)

References

1. "New Mexico Statutes Annotated". New Mexico Compilation Commission. Retrieved 2013-05-11.
2. "State Symbols". New Mexico Secretary of State. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
3. Rick Wyatt; Joe McMillan; Nick Artimovich; William E. Dunning; Nathan Lamm; Sascha Zimmer (2011-06-10). "New Mexico (U.S.)". CRW Flags Inc. Store. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
4. . State of New Mexico. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
5. Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. (PDF). New Mexico Centennial Blue Book 2012 (PDF). Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. pp. 138–168. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2012-12-27. (PDF)
6. "New Mexico State Answer, Red and Green or Christmas". www.netstate.com. NSTATE, LLC. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
7. "Under New Mexico Skies Declared Official State Cowboy Song". New Mexico Music Commission, New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. 2009-03-29. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
8. "State Symbols: State reptile". Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
9. "Cumbres & Toltec as Official Scenic Railroad". House Bill No. 447 of April 6, 2005. The Legislature of the State of New Mexico.
10. "State Necklace". New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
11. "State Guitar". New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
12. "Official State Aroma". Senate Bill No. 188 of March 28, 2023. The Legislature of the State of New Mexico.
13. McKay, Dan. "Sweet smell of success". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
14. "Dusty Roadrunner". Keep New Mexico Beautiful, Inc. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
15. "State Bird". New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. Retrieved 16 January 2024.