Magnolia grandiflora - (image 1 of 7)
Taxonomy
Family: Magnoliaceae
Habitat
Rich, loamy, moist soils along streams and near swamps, mesic upland sites, below 500' elevation. Not fire adapted and does not withstand prolonged inundation by water.
Associates
Juniperus silicicola, Sabal palmetto, Pinus taeda, Quercus virginiana, Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, Magnolia virginiana, Nyssa biflora, Persea borbonia, Fagus grandifolia, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus falcata, Quercus alba, Carya tomentosa, Carya glabra.
Understory associates include Aralia spinosa, Cornus florida, Cornus stricta, Callicarpa americana, Euonymus americanus, Myrica cerifera, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, Symplocos tinctoria, Similax spp., Vitis rotundifolia.
Distribution
NC to FL, AR, and TX.
Morphology
Evergreen tree to 80' high. Shape variable, usually broadly pyramidal. Leaves alternate, simple, evergreen, obovate-oblong or elliptic, to 10" long, entire, glossy dark green above, often brownish-pubescent below, margins revolute; petiole stout, to 2" long. Flowers solitary, large, white, very fragrant, to 12" diameter, 6-15 petals; petals thick, concave, broadly ovate. Fruit and aggregate of follicles, rose-red, to 5" long.
Notes
Flowers May and June
Wetland indicator: Facultative upland
Much effort has been made to make cold hardy selections of this primarily southern tree. This specimen was photographed in Philadelphia and I was surprised a specimen that large could be found so far north.
Bibliography
Dirr, Michael A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants:
Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.
5th ed. Champaign, Illinois: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.
Outcalt, Kenneth W. 1990. Magnolia grandiflora L. Southern Magnolia
In R.M. Burns and B.H. Honkala (eds.), Silvics of North America, Vol. 1,
Conifers, U.S.D.A.
For. Serv. Agric. Handbk. 654, Washington, D.C.
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Michael Hough © 2005 |