Posted in Uncategorized on April 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »
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Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Magnolia trees on April 27, 2010| 2 Comments »
Driving around my neighborhood recently I noticed more than ever an abundance of magnolia trees. Living in the upper beach I have coveted my neighbor’s magnolia tree for over twenty years. Its gorgeous pink and white flowering buds are heavenly in scent and come out at just the right time of year when we need some color in our local surroundings. It seems to me that this tree has become more popular over the years as they seem to be popping up all over.
Magnolia is a native to eastern Asia and eastern North America. They are ornamental through four seasons; in summer it has green foliage, dangling orange-red seeds in autumn and fury silver buds through winter. The magnolia petal itself is referred to as a tepal and its thick substance is made up of a compound containing citrus scented linalool, which creates the scent. Because the magnolia evolved before bees existed they developed very tough flowers to avoid damage from the beetle that pollinated them, and scientists themselves named the flower part of the magnolia a tepal.
The scent from the magnolia tepals is influenced by the time of day or night, the air temperature and the humidity, magnolias can smell like sweet candy, spicy verbena, tart lemon or violets.
There are many different varieties and sizes of the magnolia trees to choose from. And of course there is a right one for your zone. The colorful shrub form “little girl” is good for front lawns, and if you are lucky enough to have a large garden you can purchase one that could grow up to sixty feet tall, so be careful when choosing one that you check out the height and width expectations.
If you are thinking of planting one for next spring now is the time to plant it. They are easy to grow in full sun or part shade. Plant them in well draining soil with lots of organic material, compost and peat moss. Magnolias don’t like to be planted too deep, so make the hole just big enough for the root bulb without burying the trunk.
When first planted they require consistent moisture especially at the heat of the summer months. The nice thing about this tree is it seldom requires pruning and feeding.
Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at some of the different varieties, and take in the wonderful aromas it gives off. You can also pick up a branch from a tree at your local florist to put in a vase. A few blooms in water perfume a room beautifully.
Nicola Bishop
bishop4086@rogers.com
flohaus 