National Symbols of North America: Animals, Birds, Flowers & Trees

North America’s best-known natural national symbols include Canada’s beaver, the United States’ bald eagle and American bison, Mexico’s golden eagle and Greenland’s polar bear. Some are formally designated, while others are widely recognized national emblems without a specific legal title.

This guide covers the national animals, birds, flowers and trees of Canada, the United States, Mexico and Greenland, while separating official designations from popular or unofficial ones.

North American National Symbols at a Glance

Country / territory	National animal	National bird	National flower	National tree	National fruit
Canada	Beaver	Canada jay**	Bunchberry*	Maple	None
United States	American bison	Bald eagle	Rose	Oak	None
Mexico	Golden eagle*	Golden eagle*	Dahlia	Ahuehuete	None
Greenland	Polar bear*	White-tailed eagle*	Niviarsiaq	None verified	None verified

* Widely recognized national or cultural symbol, but a specific formal designation under that title could not be verified.

** The Canada jay has been proposed as Canada’s national bird. Bill S-221 passed the Canadian Senate in June 2026 but has not yet become law.

National Symbols of Canada

Canada has two particularly clear official natural symbols: the beaver and the maple tree. The Canada jay and bunchberry have both been proposed as national symbols but have not yet received equivalent official status.

What Is the National Animal of Canada?

The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is an official national symbol of Canada. It received formal recognition through the National Symbol of Canada Act in 1975.

Beavers played an important role in Canadian history because their pelts drove much of the early fur trade. The animal had already appeared on Canadian heraldry and currency long before receiving formal recognition.

Today, the beaver remains one of Canada’s most familiar wildlife emblems and appears on the Canadian five-cent coin.

What Is the National Bird of Canada?

Canada does not currently have an official national bird. The Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is a leading candidate and is currently the subject of proposed federal legislation.

The Canada jay was selected by Canadian Geographic’s National Bird Project in 2016 following a nationwide campaign. However, that selection did not create an official national bird.

The situation is now evolving. Bill S-221, the National Bird of Canada Act, passed the Senate in June 2026 and proposes formally designating the Canada jay as Canada’s national bird. As of August 2026, the bill has not yet become law.

What Is the National Flower of Canada?

Canada has no officially designated national flower. Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) is an unofficial candidate selected through a nationwide public contest in 2017.

Bunchberry won roughly 80% of the votes in a poll organized by the Master Gardeners of Ontario. The low-growing native plant produces small white bracts followed by clusters of bright red berries.

The campaign sought official recognition for bunchberry, but no federal designation followed. It should therefore not be described as Canada’s official national flower.

What Is the National Tree of Canada?

The maple is Canada’s national arboreal emblem. The designation applies to the entire genus Acer, rather than specifically to the sugar maple.

Canada formally recognized the maple as its national arboreal emblem in 1996. Ten maple species are native to the country.

The maple leaf had already represented Canada for generations and became the central feature of the national flag in 1965. Although the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is particularly famous, Canada’s national tree emblem is the maple generally.

Does Canada Have a National Fruit?

Canada has no officially designated national fruit. The blueberry is sometimes given this title online, but we could not find evidence of an official designation.

Blueberries are native to North America and are an important Canadian crop, but their agricultural and cultural importance does not make them Canada’s national fruit.

National Symbols of the United States

The United States has an unusually well-defined collection of natural national symbols. The American bison, bald eagle, rose and oak all have explicit recognition under federal law.

What Is the National Animal of the United States?

The American bison (Bison bison) is the national mammal of the United States. It received this designation through the National Bison Legacy Act in 2016.

Once numbering in the tens of millions across North America, bison were driven close to extinction during the 19th century before conservation programs helped populations recover.

Its designation recognizes both the animal’s ecological importance and its central place in the history and cultures of North America.

What Is the National Bird of the United States?

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is the national bird of the United States.

The bald eagle has appeared on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782, making its national association more than two centuries old.

Surprisingly, however, it was not explicitly designated the national bird under federal law until December 23, 2024. The new law formalized a status that Americans had already recognized for generations.

What Is the National Flower of the United States?

The rose is the national floral emblem of the United States. Congress designated it in 1986.

Unlike many countries that selected a particular native species, the US designation applies simply to the rose, encompassing the genus Rosa.

What Is the National Tree of the United States?

The oak, genus Quercus, is the national tree of the United States. It received federal recognition in 2004.

Like Canada’s maple, the designation does not refer to one particular species. Numerous native oak species occur across the United States, collectively representing one of the country’s most important groups of trees.

Does the United States Have a National Fruit?

The United States has no federally designated national fruit. The blueberry is sometimes described as the national fruit online, but this claim is unsupported.

Individual states do have official fruits. For example, Maine recognizes the wild blueberry as its state berry, but there is no equivalent federal designation for the United States as a whole.

National Symbols of Mexico

Mexico’s golden eagle, dahlia and Ahuehuete are deeply rooted in the country’s history and identity. The dahlia and Ahuehuete have clear national designations, while the eagle’s status comes primarily from its role as an official state emblem.

What Is the National Animal or Bird of Mexico?

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is one of Mexico’s foremost national animal symbols and appears at the center of the country’s flag and coat of arms. However, we could not verify a separate formal designation naming it Mexico’s “national animal” or “national bird.”

The eagle’s symbolism reaches back to the founding tradition of Tenochtitlan, in which the Mexica encountered an eagle perched on a cactus at the location where they would establish their city.

That imagery survives at the heart of Mexico’s official coat of arms today. The golden eagle is therefore unquestionably a national symbol, even though describing it under a specific national-animal or national-bird designation requires qualification.

What Is the National Flower of Mexico?

The dahlia is Mexico’s national flower. The genus Dahlia was officially declared the country’s national flower in 1963.

Dahlias are native to Mexico and Central America and were cultivated long before European colonization. Their importance extends beyond their ornamental flowers: different parts of the plants were historically used for food and other purposes.

Mexico is the center of origin and diversity for the genus, making the dahlia a particularly appropriate botanical emblem.

What Is the National Tree of Mexico?

The Ahuehuete, or Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum), is Mexico’s national tree. It was selected in 1921.

Ahuehuetes are exceptionally long-lived trees native to Mexico and neighboring parts of the region. Their Nahuatl name is commonly interpreted as meaning “old man of the water,” reflecting their longevity and tendency to grow near rivers and other water sources.

The most famous example is the enormous Árbol del Tule in Oaxaca, renowned for having one of the widest trunks of any tree in the world.

Does Mexico Have a National Fruit?

Mexico does not have an officially designated national fruit. The avocado is sometimes given this title online, but we could not verify an official designation.

The avocado originated in the region and has been cultivated in Mexico for thousands of years. Mexico is also the world’s leading avocado producer, making the fruit an important part of the country’s agricultural and culinary identity. That importance, however, does not make it an official national fruit.

National Symbols of Greenland

Greenland’s polar bear and Niviarsiaq are particularly strong natural symbols. The white-tailed eagle is also an important native bird, although its supposed national-bird status is less well established.

What Is the National Animal of Greenland?

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is widely recognized as Greenland’s national animal and appears on Greenland’s coat of arms, although we could not verify a separate legal designation specifically granting it the title of “national animal.”

Polar bears inhabit Greenland’s Arctic coastal and sea-ice environments and have long held practical and cultural importance for Inuit communities.

The animal’s official symbolic role is unmistakable: Greenland’s coat of arms depicts a white polar bear on a blue field. The Greenlandic government also describes the species as a longstanding symbol of strength and perseverance.

What Is the National Flower of Greenland?

Niviarsiaq, the broad-leaved willowherb or dwarf fireweed (Chamaenerion latifolium), is Greenland’s national flower.

The hardy plant grows across Greenland despite the country’s severe Arctic climate. During summer, it produces conspicuous pink-purple flowers along riverbanks, gravelly ground and other open habitats.

Its Greenlandic name, Niviarsiaq, means “young girl.”

Does Greenland Have a National Bird?

Greenland does not appear to have an officially designated national bird. The white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) is sometimes given this title, but we could not verify an authoritative designation.

Greenland supports a distinctive population of these enormous birds of prey, which occur primarily along the country’s southern and southwestern coasts.

The white-tailed eagle is therefore an impressive representative of Greenland’s wildlife, but it is more accurate to describe it as an important native bird than an established national bird.

Frequently Asked Questions

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