Believed to be present from the dawn of time, magnolia trees bear blooms that transport the beholder back in time to days of ancient beauty and tough flora that was made to survive. Through years of climate and geological change, the family Magnoliaceae thrives in hardy varieties worldwide, beloved by the gardeners that still tend them today.
Colors
The family Magnoliaceae has a history long and varied, full of varieties that have naturally altered over time, and those that have been cultivated for look, hardiness or beauty. Magnolia blossoms are pure white, mauve to rosy pink, or variations of purple. One cultivar of the saucer magnolia, Lennei, bears blossoms of a deep purple-red, while Grace McDade blooms a lovely lavender pink.
Bloom Forms
Magnolia trees bear different types of blooms, and each bloom form represents a species with a number of cultivars or varieties. Southern magnolia or Bull Bay produces large, open florets with a conical central receptacle. Star magnolia are so named for bunches of leggy, long-petaled blooms that grow in clusters. Saucer magnolia blooms have finger-length, cupped petals that point upwards as they open, often hiding the center.
Tepals
The term tepals refers to a flower that bears a variety of parts resembling petals, called sepals, along with true petals. Sepals most often are the color of the flower stem, and are smaller and spade shaped, meant to protect the bud while closed. In some blooms, including the magnolia, the sepals are just as colorful and finely textured as the petals, making them indistinguishable from each other. The magnolia produces flowers with six or more tepals.
Reproductive Parts
Some flowering trees only produce flowers with one sex, so they rely on another tree to pollinate them. Magnolia trees generally produce bisexual flowers, able to self-pollinate. The center of the magnolia bloom bears a conical receptacle which houses the carpels, containing ovules or eggs, which are surrounded by stamens and anthers. Since this receptacle is elongated, it is prominent and can be seen clearly in most magnolia species. Fruit of mature eggs become bright orange or red seeds, exposed on the receptacle's exterior, adding off-season interest and food for birds.
Pollination
One fascinating aspect of the magnolia bloom is the history of this genus dating back to ancient times before bee pollination is believed to be widespread. Beetles are the fairy godmothers of the magnolia, crawling over the extra tough exteriors of carpels, spreading pollen for a grateful host. Liriodendron, a sub-family of the magnolia containing only the tulip tree species, is the solitary bee-pollinated variety.
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