of New York 



83 



CUCUMBER TREE 



Magnolia acuminata, Linnaeus 



THE hardiest Magnolia native to eastern North America is 

 the Cucumber Tree. In appearance it suggests a tropical 

 tree, for its leaves and flowers are large. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, thin, egg-shaped, 4 to 12 

 inches long, pointed at apex, smooth along margin. They 

 fall in response to first 

 frost. 



The flowers are large, 

 upright, solitary, bell- 

 shaped, about 3 inches 

 long, greenish tinged 

 with yellow, scarcely 

 perceptible among mass 

 of foliage. 



The fruit is a red cu- 

 cumber-like mass, 2 to 3 

 inches long, containing 

 scarlet, pea-size seeds 

 suspended by long slen- 

 der white threads at ma- 

 turity. 



The bark is grayish 

 to brown, breaks up into 

 long furrows. The twigs 

 are smooth, shiny, bit- 

 ter, rather stout, brown, 

 marked with crescent- 

 shaped leaf - scars. The 

 buds are conical, sharp- 

 pointed, about Yi of an 

 inch long, and pale 

 silky. 



The wood is soft, not 

 strong, brittle, light yellowish to reddish-brown. It is used 

 for same purposes as Yellow Poplar. 



The Cucumber Tree is found from western New York 

 south to Illinois, Georgia and Arkansas. In New York this 

 tree occurs locally in rich woods in the central and western 

 parts of the State, especially in the Alleghany watershed. It 

 becomes more abundant southward in the State. Rich, moist 

 woods with abundant sunlight is its favorite home. It 

 reaches a height of 80 to 90 feet and. a diameter of 3 to 4 feet. 

 Good wood, rapid growth, few foes are among its principal 

 merits. It is a beautiful tree for lawns and parks. 



CUCUMBER TREE 



Seeds and twig section, enlarged. 



One-fourth natural size. 



