Prairie Universities Biological Symposium
About Saskatchewan
The name "Saskatchewan" comes from the Cree language.
It means swift-flowing river .
Saskatchewan became a province in 1905.
The Saskatchewan flag is divided into two equal parts.
The green represents Saskatchewan's northern forests.
The gold section is for the golden fields of grain.
The provincial shield is in the top left corner.
The Western Red Lily is on the right side of the flag.
The Western Red Lily is Saskatchewan's floral emblem.
It became the province's official flag in 1969.
COAT OF ARMS
The shield of Saskatchewan has a red lion on gold.
The lion represents England .
Below it are three wheat sheaves on green .
This symbolizes Saskatchewan agriculture .
Above the shield is a beaver and a crown.
A lion and a white-tailed deer stand on the sides.
Both are wearing beadwork of the Aboriginal people.
Western Red lilies form the base.
The motto means "From many peoples strength".
WESTERN RED LILY
This flower is the floral emblem of Saskatchewan .
It grows in wet places (meadows, ditches and wooded areas).
The flower blooms from late June to mid July.
It is a beautiful flower with reddish-orange blossoms.
When the pioneers first came to the prairies
there were thousands of lilies blooming.
This flower is now protected .
This means that you should not pick the lily.
It grows from a bulb so once the bulb is pulled out
the flower will no longer grow.
This flower was put on the Saskatchewan
flag to remind people of wild flowers.
OTHER EMBLEMS
Provincial Bird - Sharp-tailed Grouse (a game bird)
Provincial Animal - White-tailed Deer
Provincial Tree - White Birch (once used for making canoes)
Provincial Symbol - Sheaf of Wheat
Provincial Mineral - Sylvite (potash); Saskatchewan is the world's largest producer of potash
Provincial Grass - Needle-and-thread Grass
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University of Regina PUBS 2007
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Last Updated: November 2006
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