It is fitting that the Magnoliaceae family should land on a big number like 40 (this being the fortieth family described) since it is the namesake of this blog and the fellow who inspired it -- M. Pierre Magnol. And while this family is not known for its economic value, its cultural value is off the charts.
Alas, I did not grow up surrounded by the famed southern magnolia -- Magnolia grandiflora, but rather some horticultural curiosities that are probably better suited to the north. There were two star magnolias -- Magnolia stellata, right next to my parents' house. This Japanese import had "pussy willows" in the winter, pretty white flowers in the summer (above), and fabulously weird fruits in the fall, all of which were visible from certain upstairs windows.
Next door at Old Westbury Gardens were tulip trees -- Liridendron tulipifera, with their famously tulip-shaped leaves. A true American original, they are native to just about everywhere east of the Mississippi. Liridendroidae is a subfamily of the Magnolia family and consists of only one genus, the Liridendron. The only two extant species of these are found in eastern North America and eastern Asia. According to fossil records, there were at one time other species. Like the gingko family, magnolias have an ancient lineage.
It was in California and Louisiana that my magnolia education was completed. The carefully pruned southern magnolias that line California streets were presented to me in their natural, scruffy state (above) in Louisiana. Both are striking and both clobber you over the head with their unique character. As someone who likes firm, waxy leaves, there is no question these are among my favorite trees.
Another California street tree that I've recently taken note of is the Japanese magnolia -- Magnolia liliiflora, seen below on the verge of blooming. Quite a few ornamental magnolias come from Asia and there is a history hybridizing them. The saucer magnolia, for instance, is a cross between the Japanese magnolia and the Yulan magnolia -- Magnolia denudata, which hails from China. Interestingly, the cross-breeding did not occur in Asia but in Europe, where Etienne Soulange-Bodin, a retired Napoleonic army officer, successfully consummated the marriage in 1820. The resulting tree, Magnolia x soulangeana or saucer magnolia, has since been widely planted in Britain and America.
Next door at Old Westbury Gardens were tulip trees -- Liridendron tulipifera, with their famously tulip-shaped leaves. A true American original, they are native to just about everywhere east of the Mississippi. Liridendroidae is a subfamily of the Magnolia family and consists of only one genus, the Liridendron. The only two extant species of these are found in eastern North America and eastern Asia. According to fossil records, there were at one time other species. Like the gingko family, magnolias have an ancient lineage.
Another California street tree that I've recently taken note of is the Japanese magnolia -- Magnolia liliiflora, seen below on the verge of blooming. Quite a few ornamental magnolias come from Asia and there is a history hybridizing them. The saucer magnolia, for instance, is a cross between the Japanese magnolia and the Yulan magnolia -- Magnolia denudata, which hails from China. Interestingly, the cross-breeding did not occur in Asia but in Europe, where Etienne Soulange-Bodin, a retired Napoleonic army officer, successfully consummated the marriage in 1820. The resulting tree, Magnolia x soulangeana or saucer magnolia, has since been widely planted in Britain and America.
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