Big-Leaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)

Last month, the big-leaf magnolia caught our eye with its large, drooping, creamy white flowers. On par with the American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) for the prize of "biggest flower native to North America," this rare specimen deserves more attention. We currently have three plantings of big-leaf magnolia in the collection, and all three would benefit from some spring-cleaning activities, like pruning and weeding. 

 

Two big-leaf magnolias are pictured here. There is a larger one in the center, and a smaller one is leaning on the right side of the frame. The smaller one was planted in 2009, while the larger one was planted a few years prior. Both were badly damaged in August 2020, during the storm winds from Hurricane Laura. In this photo, we see the work to be done: surrounding shrubs and vines are encroaching on the space allotted to the big-leaf magnolias.

We cut back wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) shrubs to allow more sunlight for the magnolias. Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), and some grape (Vitis sp.) were all pulled from around the base of the skinny trunks. A few stalks of lizard tail (Saururus cernuus) were also snipped to increase signage visibility.

Despite being more than 15-years-old, these are still small trees, and they need help when it comes to competing with their more aggressive neighbors. And since this species isn't particularly robust, we are keeping both trees in the catalogue, rather than cutting down the smaller of the two. We don't want to cut the small tree for a couple of reasons: it doesn't take up much space, and it is our back-up plan or insurance policy if the larger tree dies. A falling widow-maker could easily cause such a fatality.

Big-Leaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)

The big-leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) is blooming this week.

The trunk and branches are spindly. The leaves and flowers are big! You will need to gently pull the leaves down to get a better look at the beautiful flower.

Flowers petals are long, large and droopy.

The flowers are brilliantly white, but for a short while. It seems like this flower lasted only a single day before yellowing. There are more buds higher up, but a ladder would be necessary for studying the flowers, as the leaves mostly obscure the blooms.

Tree of the Week: Big-Leaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)

This week in the arboretum you can find big-leaf magnolia flowers! The buds were first noticed at the end of April, so we have pictures of those along with images of the opened flowers.

 

All photos are of the same tree. It's just under 10 years old. In 2012, Centenary student Bonnie Bernard germinated this plant from seed collected on Albany Avenue in Shreveport. The following spring it was planted in the ground of the arboretum.

 

On April 22, 2022, the flower buds were noticed by chance, as they were mostly hidden by the 'big-leaves'. A ladder was necessary for inspection. As we can see in the photo, this tree is still small and very skinny.

 

The trunk is less than 2 inches wide.

 

Big-leaf magnolia leaves are truly big. It could be the case that this tree produced flowers last year and they simply went unnoticed. However, for the arboretum record, we will say that this is the first year it produced flowers.

 

Big-Leaf Magnolia flower bud photographed on April 22, 2022

 

Big-leaf magnolias also have big flower buds.

 

The flowers opened this week. Photographs of the flowers were taken on May 3, 2022.

The large flowers are floppy compared to those of the flowering magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). These flowers are also less fragrant.

Big-leaf magnolia flower, photographed May 3, 2022

Big-leaf magnolia flower, photographed May 3, 2022

 

Tree of the Week: Big-Leaf Magolia (Magnolia macrophylla)

Several weeks ago, at the end of August, a big-leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) was decapitated during the stormy weather brought by Hurricane Laura. Surveying the damage, the magnolia was counted as a loss. A bare stick with a jagged top stood where the tree used to be. A clean cut was made on the trunk, just below the split. The spindly trunk was assumed to be nonviable. Unexpectedly, new leaves popped out this week! 

On August 27th, this skinny magnolia trunk lost three feet off the top. All of the green leaves were lost when the trunk snapped. Several days later a clean cut was made below the break. We thought it was the end for this big-leaf magnolia.

Three weeks later, fresh green leaves are prominently displayed. Tenacious!

[Fall foliage] Big-leaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)

This is a 5-year-old Big-Leaf Magnolia grown from seed collected locally, on Albany Avenue in Shreveport. The large, floppy leaves make the trunk look extra skinny.

Fall foliage, November 24, 2018

Big-Leaf Magnolia Leaf Bud

This is the top of a big-leaf magnolia tree (Magnolia macrophylla). The tree is still young, so it has the appearance of simply being a stick, stuck in the ground, but then at the top of the stick, there is a very large, velvety, whitish end bud, not quite opening.

Magnolia macrophylla