Magnificent magnolia.
- Magnolias are a group of over 100 flowering plants that are from the family Magnoliaceae.
- Magnolias are native to Asia and North, Central and South America.
- Magnolias are evergreen and deciduous trees that bear large leaves and large, shapely flowers, and grow from 6 meters to 24 metres (20 ft – 80 ft) in height.
- Beetles are the main pollinators of magnolias, and the fruits are usually cone shaped and are red or pink in colour and contain a number of seeds.
- Many magnolia species flower in early spring, often before leaves appear, but some bloom in summer.
- Magnolia flowers are sometimes fragrant and can be purple, pink, white, cream, or yellow, in colour.
- Magnolias are named after Pierre Magnol, who was a French botanist.
- Magnolia bark and buds have been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine.
- Magnolias are the main diet of the grubs of some moths or butterflies from the family Lepidoptera such as the Giant Leopard Moth.
- Magnolias are the state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi in the United States.
Bibliography:
Magnolia, 2013, Wikipedia, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia>
Plant Profile: Magnolia, 2011, Gardening Australia, < http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866634.htm>
