CITY OF BROOKSVILLE ADOPTS OFFICIAL FLOWER AND OFFICIAL FRUIT

Brooksville, Florida (June 20, 2024) – At the June 17, 2024, Brooksville City Council meeting, the City of Brooksville adopted the Brooksville Bellflower as the City’s official flower. Now endangered, the flower is known to have been found in only three places in Hernando County, one being Chinsegut Hill. The Brooksville Bellflower is a small annual herb that grows up to six inches tall and bears deep purple bell-shaped flowers 2.5 inches wide. The bellflower has a rich history in symbolism and is considered the flower of luck, the flower of happiness and the flower of new beginnings. For more information on the Brooksville Bellflower visit, https://www.fnai.org/PDFs/FieldGuides/Campanula_robinsiae.pdf.

In addition, the City of Brooksville City Council adopted the tangerine as the official fruit of the City. As far back as the 1800’s much of downtown was used for the cultivation of tangerines due to the City’s unique topography and ability to graft tangerines with wild oranges enables them to survive periodic freezes, resulting in high demand for the fruit across the United States. Tangerines contributed to the economic prosperity of the City of Brooksville, including the construction of the Tangerine Hotel, which met the needs of tourist and seasonal residents in the 1920’s. After the Great Depression, tangerines contributed to the economic recovery of the area. The City of Brooksville became known as the “Home of the Tangerine” and to this day continues to celebrate the significance of the fruit with tangerine themed events and the famous “Tangerine Drop”.   In collaboration with Brooksville Main Street, the Tangerine Drop event will return as a New Year’s Eve celebration, where a six-foot, 200 lb. glowing tangerine will mark the countdown to midnight.

Brooksville Main Street requested both adoptions in an effort to provide a unique identity to the city and recognize the historical significance of both the Brooksville Bell Flower and the Tangerine.

Top Photo: The Tangerine

Bottom Photo: The Brooksville Bellflower