The Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae) is a dicot with about 12 genera and over 200 species of evergreen or deciduous trees or shrubs, mostly in temperate regions. The leaves are alternate, simple,
usually entire, pinnately veined (meaning the veins are constructed like a feather, with a central axis, or rachis and subveins off of that). One of the key characteristics of this family is its encircling stipular scars. Branches have a distinct look because of thelarge scar left behind after a bud (either flower bud or leaf bud) drops off. The buds on Magnolias are especially showy and have a silky bud sheath that makes identifying the tree in the winter quite easy.The pink flowering deciduous Magnolia in bloom right now is called Magnolia x soulangiana, Saucer Magnolia,
and usually stays a smallish ornamental tree about 20-30' tall. The tree flowers before it leafs out and blooms are 5-10" in diameter! This tree definitely steals the show during its magnificient, though short, blooming time. Sometimes a late cold snap kills all the blooms just before they open. March can be sort of a tempermental month, weather-wise, but this year, they flowered nicely before any unexpected resurgence of winter.The Star Magnolia, Magnolia stellata also blooms in early spring with big floppy-earred white blooms. These trees tend to grow slightly smaller (15-20') and have a denser branching habit, with flowers and leaves more compactly spaced. Star magnolia flowers have the added benefit of a nice fragrance with many more petals (12-18) and are usually only 3-4" in diameter. I like this tree a little better because white blends into an overall landscape a little better than pepto bismol pink, and I like the tighter form with a slighter finer texture.
The magnolias, a most amiable group, the harbingers of spring. So, happy Spring, and also a shout-out to Dallin for a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
3 comments:
I always feel smarter after reading your blog. So much I didn't know about magnolias.
I love it when you talk plants. Can magnolias be bushes as well as trees?
via Aunt Sanny: "Yes, we have a 30 footer in FULL, GLORIOUS bloom in our front yard. yup. going on 2 weeks now, which is longer than usual. And the petals that have already fallen, make for a beautiful snow-like blanket around the tree.
and when that has finished it's glory, out pop the 2 magnificent and larger-than-the-house, flowering cherry trees. Massive pink puffs. Spring is lots of fun here and everywhere."
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