List of Delaware state symbols  The following Delaware state symbols have been approved by the Delaware General Assembly and added to the Delaware Code:  The official colors are colonial blue and buff  The seal of Delaware was first adopted on January 17, 1777, with the current version being adopted April 29, 2004. It contains the state coat of arms surrounded by the inscription "Great Seal of the State of Delaware" and the dates 1704, 1776 and 1787. The flag of Delaware was first adopted on July 24, 1913. It consists of a buff-colored diamond on a field of colonial blue, with the coat of arms of the state of Delaware inside the diamond. Below the diamond, the date December 7, 1787, declares the day on which Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution. The colors of the flag reflect the colors of the uniform of General George Washington. The strawberry was adopted as the state fruit in 2010. Peach pie was adopted as the state dessert in 2009. ""Liberty and Independence"" was approved in 1847, and derived from the Order of Cincinnati. "Our Delaware" was first adopted in 1925. It is a poem containing three verses written by George B. Hynson, a fourth verse written by Donn Devine, and a musical score composed by Will M. S. Brown. This nickname was officially adopted on May 23, 2002, to commemorate the fact that on December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first of the 13 original states to ratify the U.S. Constitution. This nickname comes from the legend that Thomas Jefferson described Delaware as a jewel among states due to its strategic location on the Eastern Seaboard. This nickname comes from the fighting Blue Hen cocks that were carried with soldiers for entertainment during the Revolutionary War. This nickname comes from substantial contributions Delaware has made as compared to its relatively small size. Some residents of states that were also formerly part of the 13 original colonies have given this name to Delaware as a parody or insult to its classic nickname "The First State." The Delaware Blue Hen was officially adopted on April 14, 1939, having been used as many political campaigns and publications. The American holly ("Ilex opaca") was officially adopted May 1, 1939, regarded as one of Delaware's most important forest trees. The peach blossom was officially adopted on May 9, 1895, in recognition of peach tree orchards yielding thousands of dollars worth of crop worth at that time. The lady bug was officially adopted April 25, 1974, at the suggestion of Mollie Brown-Rust's 2nd grade class at the Lulu M. Ross Elementary School in Milford, Delaware.