The flag of Florida consists of a red saltire, St. Andrew's Cross, on a white background, with the state seal superimposed on the center. The design was approved by a popular referendum in 1900. The current design has been in use since 1985, after the state seal was graphically improved and officially sanctioned for use by state officials.
While both the modern Alabama and Florida state flags may have some historical tribute to Spanish rule in their design, both were definitely patterned after the battle flags of the Army of Northern Virginia (ANV)- under which the bulk of the troops from both states fought.
Both of these flags have documentation stating the influence of the ANV battle flags in their design - particularly the flag of Alabama - which was created under the administration of Governor William Oates. Oates was a former regimental commander in the ANV. He is most famous for leading the confederate assault on Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg. [Text from FotW]
Shown below are various flags that have flown over what is now Florida.
Cross of Burgundy flag, flag of the Spanish Empire from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
The Spanish flag after 1785. Its colors are reflected in the present seal of Florida.
Florida's first state flag was adopted during the American Civil War. Design by Governor Perry.
Proposals for a New Flag of Florida
Shown below are various designs that have been proposed for a new flag of Florida.
Florida Flag Proposal by Zolntsa
FL Flag Proposal "jonlethon"
The green triangle represents the lush green of Florida, the white triangles on the side represent the white sand beaches and white wave caps of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. The blue rectangle is the cloudless sky over Florida, and the yellow semi-circle is the sun rising over the Sunshine State
FL Flag Proposal "charl"
FL Flag Proposal "lyly"
FL Flag Proposal "everythingpossible"
FL Proposal "FlagFreak"
FL Flag Proposal "Splarnst 1"
FL Flag Proposal "Splarnst 2"
FL Flag Proposal "Splarnst 3"
FL Flag Proposal "Andy Rash"
FL Flag Proposal "LeonardoP"
FL Flag Proposal "LeonardoP 2"
FL Flag Proposal "Tibbetts 1"
FL Flag Proposal "Tibbetts 2"
FL Flag Proposal "VoronX"
FL Flag Proposal "ironchefshark"
FL Flag Proposal "Jack Expo"
FL Flag Proposal "Lord Grattan 1"
FL Flag Proposal "Lord Grattan 2"
FL Flag Proposal "Sammy"
FL Flag Proposal "Pimsleurable"
FL Flag Proposal "Unholy Mistress"
FL Flag Proposal "Dutchie"
FL Flag Proposal "Graphicology"
FL Flag Proposal "AlternateUniverseDesigns"
FL Flag Proposal "Sunshine and Waves - by Usacelt"
FL Flag Proposal by Kermitdefrog
Florida State Flag Proposal No. 2 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 11 OCT 2014 at 0948hrs cst
FL Proposal "lizard-socks"
FL Proposal "lizard-socks" modified by Ben Karnell
FL Proposal "lizard-socks" modified by Ben Karnell
FL Proposal "lizard-socks" modified by Ben Karnell
FL Proposal "Rebranding America" modified by Ben Karnell
FL Proposal "Rebranding America" modified by Ben Karnell
Florida flag proposal by Rebranding America, modified by Hans. Sep 2015.
FL Proposal "Rebranding America" modified by Moraisdethiago 2. March 2019. (details)
FL Flag Proposal "BigRed618"
Florida flag proposal 1 by Hans. Dec 2013. (details)
Florida flag proposal 2 by Hans. Jan 2015. (details)
Florida flag proposal 3 by Hans. Oct 2016. (details)
Florida State Flag Symplistic Proposal. A sun rising over the ocean in the Sunshine State. By Ed Mitchell. 2013.
Florida State Flag Proposal No. 5 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 13 JAN 2015 at 0849 HRS CST
Florida State Flag Proposal No. 6 Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 14 JAN 2015 at 0943 HRS CST.
Florida state flag proposal by NATHANIEL TANG
Florida state flag proposal by NATHANIEL TANG
Florida state flag proposal by NATHANIEL TANG
Florida Flag Proposal No. 6g Designed By: Stephen Richard Barlow 21 AUG 2015 at 1005 HRS CST.
FL Flag Proposal "Jabask"
FL Flag Proposal "Shredder797"
FL Flag Proposal "Szwab"
FL Flag Proposal "Zmijugaloma"
Florida flag proposal by Achaley.
FL flag proposal "5thEye"
Florida Flag Proposal by TechMountenDew
Florida Flag Proposal "Sargon the Greatest"
Florida Flag proposal by nhprman Aug 2016
Argent Saltire on Tenne field. With or without 5-pointed star. Design by Rotten Ali.
Florida flag proposed by Ken Morton. "Three worlds meet." The colors of this flag represent the three peoples who's histories and contributions have made Florida as it is today; black for Africans, white for Europeans and red for the native peoples of Florida.
Bonnie Burgundy Flag (Florida Flag Proposal by FlappyFlop16)
Most common symbolism
Cross of Burgundy
A red roughly-pruned saltire (also known as St. Andrew's cross). Used as Spanish naval ensign from 1506 to 1701, and as battle flag up to 1843. It was specially used as insignia to Spanish Empire overseas viceroyalties - Florida was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Its Spanish usage dates from the marriage between Philip I of Spain and Mary of Burgundy, when the king decided to honor the House of Burgundy, the royal house of his new mother-in-law.
Its origins are discussed: it can be firstly adopted by the Order of the Golden Fleece, in 1429, but, in the 1490s, the writer Pedro de Ayala claims it was adopted by a previous Duke of Burgundy in tribute to his Scottish soldiers.
In the designs, it can appear both as a roughly-pruned saltire or as a straight saltire (as it appears in current state flag).
Orange disc
Many designs use an orange circle, that can represent either or both of two symbols: the Sun or an orange. Florida has tropical and subtropical climates, and "Sunshine State" is its nickname. The orange refers to the fact that citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of the state economy. Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the United States.
Sometimes, the orange disc is substituted by other depictions of the sun.