Magnolia acuminata

Magnolia acuminata
Cucumber tree
Magnolia acuminata
Morton Arboretum acc. 1046-3*1
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Subgenus: Binomial name
Magnolia acuminata
L.

Magnolia acuminata, commonly called the cucumber tree (often spelled as a single word "cucumbertree"), cucumber magnolia or blue magnolia, is one of the largest magnolias, and one of the cold-hardiest. It is a large forest tree of the Eastern United States and Southern Ontario Canada. It is a tree that tends to occur singly as scattered specimens, rather than in groves.[1]

The cucumber tree is native primarily within the Appalachian belt, including the Allegheny Plateau and Cumberland Plateau, up to western Pennsylvania and New York. There are also numerous disconnected outlying populations through much of the southeastern U.S., and a few small populations in Southern Ontario. In Canada, the cucumber tree is listed as an endangered species and is protected under the Canadian Species at Risk Act.[2]

The leaves are deciduous simple and alternate, oval to oblong, 12-25 cm long and 6-12 cm wide, with smooth margins and downy on the underside. They come in two forms, acuminate at both ends, or moderately cordate at the base (these are usually only formed high in the tree).

The fruit of Magnolia acuminata

Unlike most magnolias, the flowers are not showy. They are typically small, yellow-green, and borne high in the tree in April through June. The name Cucumber tree comes from the unripe fruit, which is green and often shaped like a small cucumber; the fruit matures to a dark red color and is 6-8 cm long and 4 cm broad, with the individual carpels splitting open to release the bright red seeds, 10-60 per fruit. The ripe fruit is a striking reddish orange color.

Uses and cultivation

Cucumber trees are excellent shade trees for parks and gardens, though they are not recommended for use as street trees. In cultivation, they typically only grow 15-20 m (50-75 feet) tall, although they reach over 30 m (100 feet) in ideal forest situations. They can become quite massive: the United States national champion in Stark County, Ohio measures more than seven feet (2 m) in diameter (although only 79 ft or 24 m tall). They grow best in deep, moist, well-drained soils that are slightly acidic although they are tolerant of alkaline soils.

They are tricky to transplant due to their coarse, fleshy root system and should be planted shallow and moved in early spring with a good soil ball.

In the timber trade, this tree is interchangeable with that of the related tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera).

Magnolia acuminata has been used in hybridizing new varieties that share its yellow flower color and cold hardiness

References

  1. ^ Sternberg, G., & Wilson, J. (2004). Native Trees for North American Landscapes. Portland, Oregon:Timber Press
  2. ^ White, D.J. (2000). Update COSEWIC Status Report on the Cucumber Tree Magnolia acuminata in Canada. Committee on the Satus of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa, Ontario

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Magnolia acuminata — Magnolia Mag*no li*a, n. [NL. Named after Pierre Magnol, professor of botany at Montpellier, France, in the 17th century.] (Bot.) A genus of American and Asiatic trees, with aromatic bark and large sweet scented whitish or reddish flowers. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Magnolia acuminata —   Magnolia acuminada Magnolia acuminata …   Wikipedia Español

  • Magnolia acuminata — Gurken Magnolie Gurken Magnolie (Magnolia acuminata) Systematik Klasse: Einfurchenpollen Zweikeimblättrige (Magnoliopsida) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Magnolia acuminata — agurkinė magnolija statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Magnolijinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis augalas (Magnolia acuminata), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Magnolia acuminata angl. blue magnolia; cucumber magnolia; cucumber… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Magnolia acuminata — Cucumber Cu cum*ber (k? k?m b?r, formerly kou k?m b?r), n. [OE. cucumer, cocumber, cucumber, fr. L. cucmis, gen.cucumeris; cf. OF. cocombre,F. concombre.] (Bot.) A creeping plant, and its fruit, of several species of the genus {Cucumis}, esp.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Magnolia acuminata — ID 51317 Symbol Key MAAC Common Name cucumber tree Family Magnoliaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Magnolia acuminata — noun American deciduous magnolia having large leaves and fruit like a small cucumber • Syn: ↑cucumber tree • Hypernyms: ↑magnolia …   Useful english dictionary

  • Magnolia acuminata (L.) L. — Symbol MAAC Common Name cucumber tree Botanical Family Magnoliaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Magnolia acuminata (L.) L. — Symbol MAAC Common Name cucumber tree Botanical Family Magnoliaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Magnolia acuminata (L.) L. var. cordata (Michx.) Ser. — Symbol MAAC Synonym Symbol MAACC2 Botanical Family Magnoliaceae …   Scientific plant list

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