Official and Traditional Colors of Ohio
Ohio state colors are Red, White, and Blue, drawn from the 1902 state flag. Find HEX, RGB, CMYK, and Pantone codes plus the history and meaning.
Official color palette of Ohio
State color reference
- Official colors
- Red (Cardinal Red), White, and Blue (Buckeye Blue)
- Official since
- 1902 (state flag adoption); formalized in Ohio Brand Guide
- Primary use
- State flag, state government branding under 'Ohio: The Heart of it All' brand, state agency materials
- Known for
- Ohio is the only U.S. state with a non-rectangular flag — the distinctive swallowtail burgee whose red, white, and blue design is the source of the official state color palette; Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red are named after Ohio's state tree (the Ohio Buckeye) and the state bird (the Northern Cardinal)
Color Specifications
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Buckeye Blue
Named after the Ohio Buckeye tree (Aesculus glabra), Ohio's official state tree since 1953; the deep navy blue evokes the blue canton of the Ohio burgee and the state's connection to the Great Lakes, Lake Erie forming Ohio's entire northern border; Buckeye Blue is the primary brand color of the State of Ohio per the Ohio Brand Guide and represents the steadfastness and strength associated with the buckeye nut that gives Ohio its nickname, the Buckeye State
Cardinal Red
Named after the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Ohio's official state bird since 1933; the vivid red appears in the three horizontal red stripes of the Ohio burgee and in the red 'O' at the center of the flag's white circle; Cardinal Red represents the energy, vitality, and leadership that Ohio embodies as the nation's seventh-largest state by population and the birthplace of seven U.S. presidents
White
Represents purity, integrity, and civic clarity; white appears in the two horizontal white stripes of the Ohio burgee and in the large circle at the center of the flag's triangular canton; white functions as the ground upon which Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red are displayed and provides the visual contrast that makes the Ohio flag one of the most distinctive and recognizable state flags in the nation
WCAG Contrast Checker
Accessibility compliance for Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red
Cardinal Red
on Buckeye Blue background
Buckeye Blue
on Cardinal Red background
WCAG 2.1 Standards:
- AA Normal Text: 4.5:1 minimum
- AA Large Text: 3:1 minimum
- AAA Normal Text: 7:1 minimum
- AAA Large Text: 4.5:1 minimum
Developer Export
Copy-paste ready code snippets
CSS Variables
/* CSS Variables for Ohio */
:root {
--ohio-buckeye-blue: #0E3F75;
--ohio-cardinal-red: #C12637;
--ohio-white: #FFFFFF;
}Tailwind CSS Config
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
'ohio': {
'buckeye-blue': '#0E3F75',
'cardinal-red': '#C12637',
'white': '#FFFFFF',
}
}
}
}
}SCSS Variables
// SCSS Variables for Ohio
$ohio-buckeye-blue: #0E3F75;
$ohio-cardinal-red: #C12637;
$ohio-white: #FFFFFF;
Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the Union — a fact commemorated by the 17 stars in the blue canton of the distinctive swallowtail burgee, the source of Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red as Ohio's official state colors
Official Designation and History
Ohio's state colors are formally identified in the Ohio Brand Guide as Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red alongside white — the three colors of the Ohio state flag (the Ohio burgee). Ohio Revised Code Annotated § 5.01 governs the design of the Ohio flag but does not specify a separate standalone state color law. The Ohio Brand Guide, maintained by the Ohio Office of Travel and Tourism under the 'Ohio: The Heart of it All' brand identity, provides the definitive color specifications: Buckeye Blue at PMS 294 C (HEX #0E3F75) and Cardinal Red at PMS 200 C (HEX #C12637), connected to Ohio's state flag page.
The Ohio burgee — the state's swallowtail flag — was designed by architect John Eisemann and adopted by the Ohio General Assembly on May 9, 1902. It is the only state flag in the United States that is not rectangular, featuring a distinctive forked pennant shape. The flag's design was inspired by cavalry and maritime pennant traditions. The 17 stars in the blue canton represent Ohio as the 17th state admitted to the Union, and the central white circle with a red 'O' symbolizes both the letter O of Ohio and the buckeye nut.
Ohio Revised Code § 5.01 and the Burgee Design
ORC § 5.01 establishes the official design specifications for the Ohio burgee, including the arrangement of three red and two white horizontal stripes, the triangular blue canton, the 17 gold-and-white stars, and the white circle with a red 'O' at center. The code does not specify Pantone or HEX values, but the Ohio Brand Guide supplements this with precise specifications. The swallowtail design was adopted to make Ohio's flag visually distinctive among the many blue 'seal on a bedsheet' flags common across U.S. states. Its success in achieving visual distinction was later reinforced when the flag design remained essentially unchanged for over 120 years.
The Ohio Brand Guide Color Specifications
The Ohio Brand Guide (current version 1.8, December 2023) specifies the complete color palette for Ohio state branding. The primary palette consists of Buckeye Blue (PMS 294 C, HEX #0E3F75), Cardinal Red (PMS 200 C, HEX #C12637), and White (#FFFFFF). Secondary palette colors include Ohio-themed names such as Circleville Orange (named after the Circleville Pumpkin Show), Appalachian Green, Quarry Blue, and Solar Yellow — all reflecting specific aspects of Ohio's regional identity. The guide explicitly states that the primary palette is 'inspired by the state flag, the uniquely shaped Ohio burgee.'
Key milestones
Ohio admitted to the Union on March 1 as the 17th state; the state seal is established, featuring Ohio's landscape and natural abundance
Ohio General Assembly adopts the Ohio burgee on May 9 — the only non-rectangular state flag in the U.S., designed by architect John Eisemann with red, white, and blue colors that define the state's color identity
Northern Cardinal designated as the Ohio state bird, providing the namesake for Cardinal Red in the Ohio Brand Guide
Ohio Buckeye tree designated as the official state tree, providing the namesake for Buckeye Blue in the Ohio Brand Guide
Ohio Brand Guide (version 1.8) published, formalizing Buckeye Blue (PMS 294 C, HEX #0E3F75) and Cardinal Red (PMS 200 C, HEX #C12637) with Ohio-centric names under the 'Ohio: The Heart of it All' brand
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What the Colors Represent
Ohio's Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red are named after two of the state's most iconic natural symbols — the Ohio Buckeye tree and the Northern Cardinal — giving the state's official colors a distinctive connection to its native flora and fauna that is unusual among U.S. state color palettes. This naming convention, established in the Ohio Brand Guide, transforms the abstract red-white-and-blue patriotic palette into something specifically and uniquely Ohioan, aligned with the Buckeye State nickname.
Buckeye Blue and the Ohio Buckeye Tree
The Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) was designated the official state tree in 1953, though the association between Ohio and the buckeye dates to 1840 when William Henry Harrison's presidential campaign used buckeye log cabins and buckeye nut accessories as campaign symbols. The buckeye nut — a round, dark-brown seed with a light-colored eye — gave Ohio its enduring nickname, the Buckeye State. Buckeye Blue honors this heritage through a deep navy shade that evokes both the blue canton of the burgee and the formal dignity of the state's civic identity; see the Ohio buckeye profile.
Cardinal Red and the Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was designated Ohio's official state bird in 1933. The male cardinal's brilliant red plumage — one of the most recognizable sights at Ohio bird feeders and in Ohio woodlands — is one of the state's most beloved natural symbols. Cardinal Red in the Ohio Brand Guide (PMS 200 C, HEX #C12637) captures this vivid scarlet and connects the state's official color palette to the living natural world of Ohio's forests, parks, and backyards. Ohio is home to more than 450 bird species, and the cardinal's red is the most iconic among them; compare the Northern Cardinal page.
Usage in Flags, Seals, and Insignias
Red, white, and blue define the Ohio burgee in its entirety, making the flag itself the primary vehicle for the state's official color identity. The Ohio state seal, established in the Ohio Constitution of 1803 and refined over subsequent decades, features a detailed landscape with mountains, a river, a rising sun, a sheaf of wheat, and a bundle of 17 arrows, rendered in a broad palette of colors. The Ohio 'Heart of it All' brand identity, used extensively in state tourism communications, applies Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red across print, digital, and environmental applications. These colors appear on Ohio highway signage, state agency logos, the Ohio National Guard insignia, and the official materials of the Ohio Governor's office, while broader scale context appears in U.S. states by population.
Timeline
Ohio admitted to the Union on March 1 as the 17th state; the state seal is established, featuring Ohio's landscape and natural abundance
Ohio admitted to the Union on March 1 as the 17th state; the state seal is established, featuring Ohio's landscape and natural abundance
Ohio General Assembly adopts the Ohio burgee on May 9 — the only non-rectangular state flag in the U.S., designed by architect John Eisemann with red, white, and blue colors that define the state's color identity
Northern Cardinal designated as the Ohio state bird, providing the namesake for Cardinal Red in the Ohio Brand Guide
Northern Cardinal designated as the Ohio state bird, providing the namesake for Cardinal Red in the Ohio Brand Guide
Ohio Buckeye tree designated as the official state tree, providing the namesake for Buckeye Blue in the Ohio Brand Guide
Ohio Brand Guide (version 1.8) published, formalizing Buckeye Blue (PMS 294 C, HEX #0E3F75) and Cardinal Red (PMS 200 C, HEX #C12637) with Ohio-centric names under the 'Ohio: The Heart of it All' brand
Ohio Brand Guide (version 1.8) published, formalizing Buckeye Blue (PMS 294 C, HEX #0E3F75) and Cardinal Red (PMS 200 C, HEX #C12637) with Ohio-centric names under the 'Ohio: The Heart of it All' brand
"Ohio's burgee is the only non-rectangular state flag in the nation — and naming its colors Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red after Ohio's state tree and bird transforms a patriotic palette into something unmistakably and uniquely Ohioan."
Quick Answers
What are the official colors of Ohio?
What is the HEX code for Ohio Buckeye Blue?
What is the HEX code for Ohio Cardinal Red?
Why is Ohio's flag the only non-rectangular state flag?
What do Buckeye Blue and Cardinal Red refer to?
Sources
- Ohio Brand Guide Version 1.8 - Ohio Office of Travel and Tourism
- Ohio Revised Code § 5.01 - State Flag
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