The sugar maple (Acer saccharum) was selected as the state tree by school children in a statewide vote in 1893. Oaks, pines, and elms were also favorites, but the maple won out. A second vote of school children in our centennial year, 1948, reaffirmed support for the sugar maple. Legislators created a new section of the statutes to authorize the designation of official state symbols. So a state tree, state flower and state bird were all selected during the centennial session and became official state symbols in 1949. Sugar maples are also known and loved for their brilliant orange-red colors in fall and their fame for producing the best sap for making maple syrup. Find out more about leaf colors in A Tree's True Color.