The Magnolias and the Tulip Tree 



mountain ranges. Distribution, western New York and southern 

 Ontario to Illinois, Kentucky and Arkansas; mountain slopes of 

 Pennsylvania south to Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. 

 Uses: Ornamental tree planted in Europe and America to a 

 limited extent. Wood is used for flooring and other general 

 purposes. Good stock upon which to graft less hardy magnolias. 



The cucumber tree is the hardiest species of native magnolias. 

 Its great leaves betray its sub-tropical affiliations. No tree but 

 the catalpa can match it in the North, and this does not venture 

 by itself farther than the latitude of southern Indiana. Against 

 the foliage mass of oaks and elms and maples the great clean 

 leaves of the cucumber tree form a striking contrast. They are 

 silky at first, but when mature keep only a fringe of hairs on the 

 veins beneath. In autumn the tree turns yellow before the leaves 

 drop. The elevated leaf scars almost encircle the silky winter 

 buds. 



Cucumber trees make less show in the period of blossoming 

 than other magnolias. The yellowish-green tulip-like flowers, 

 though large, are scarcely distinguishable at a little distance from 

 the new leaves by which they are surrounded. They are neither 

 beautiful nor pleasantly fragrant. The elongated fruits look 

 like pale green cucumbers at first, but are soon distorted in form 

 by the failure of many of the carpels to set seed. The fleshy green 

 cone flushes pink, and later turns red as autumn approaches. 

 In September each mature carpel splits open and two scarlet 

 seeds hang out, each on an elastic thread. The wind buffets them 

 until they dangle several inches below the conical fruit. Then a 

 gust tears them off, and if they fall in moist leaf mould or on the 

 damp border of a stream, young cucumber trees spring up from 

 this planting. 



The cucumber tree is not yet appreciated as a shade and 

 avenue tree in the Northern States. It has few faults and many 

 virtues. It grows vigorously from seed and after transplanting. 

 The digging and planting must be carefully managed, as the 

 fleshy roots of all magnolias are brittle. Since the tree is com- 

 paratively rare in the northern part of its range, nursery stock 

 or seed should be planted rather than stripling trees from the 

 woods. 



The Yellow Cucumber Tree has been cultivated in gardens 

 for over a century. It has bright yellow blossoms, and dark, 



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