82 



Common Trees 





LAUREL MAGNOLIA 



Magnolia vitginiana, Linnaeus 



The Laurel Magnolia, also called Sweet Bay and Swamp 

 Magnolia, is one of the most beautiful small trees of the 

 eastern states. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, 3 to 6 inches long, and 

 glossy above, and whitish beneath. In many parts of its 

 range the leaves persist 

 throughout the winter. 



The flowers appear 

 the latter part of June 

 and early July. They 

 are white, globular, 

 about 2 inches wide, 

 very fragrant, and occur 

 solitary. 



The fruit is cone-like, 

 oval, about 2 inches 

 long, contains a consid- 

 erable number of bright 

 red, shiny seeds sus- 

 pended by a film-like 

 cord. 



The bark on young 

 stems is light-gray and 

 smooth, becoming dark- 

 er gray and scaly on old 

 trunks. The twigs are 

 green, rather slender, 

 bitter, covered with a 

 downy coating. The 

 buds are bright green, 



about two-fifths of an inch long, and decidedly hairy. The 

 wood is soft, brittle, light yellowish-brown. 



The Laurel Magnolia is a characteristic tree of the Coastal 

 Plain. It is found from Massachusetts to Florida, and along 

 the coast to Texas and southern Arkansas. In New York 

 this tree is found south of the moraine on Long Island and 

 also reported from Staten Island. This tree is of little com- 

 mercial importance, but is well adapted for ornamental 

 planting. 



LAUREL MAGNOLIA 

 One-fourth natural size. 



