I remember, a very long time ago, seeing the movie "Cabin in the Sky, 1943". In one of the scenes Lena Horne came out of her house and picked a
giant magnolia off a tree and it was so big that she was able to wear
it as a hat. I laughed and said to myself what a joke, whoever saw a
magnolia that big.
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| Lena Horne, Cabin in the Sky, 1943 |
Well, a while back a friend of the GHGC was
out and about town here in the Ocean Springs area and came across a
fairly scarce and totally wonderful plant find. He discovered a Magnolia macrophylla,or Bigleaf Magnolia, in bloom. It was right along the road
in a persons yard. What a treat to find one in the area. He took an
image for us to post, and here it is!
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| Magnolia macrophylla |
This Mid-size deciduous tree reaches a height of approximately 40 to 60 feet. Bigleaf magnolias have huge leaves that are 12 to 36 inches long. The flowers are creamy ivory white and can be up to a foot across. Blooms are in summer and have a pleasant fragrance. This tree can be grown in full sun or part shade. Preferring well-drained sand or loam and slightly alkaline to acidic soil. Hardy in USDA zones 5B-8.
For more information on the Magnolia macrophylla or Bigleaf Magnolia check out;
Missouri Botanical Garden.org Plant Finder
University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
U.S. Forestry Service, FactSheet, PDF to Download
