Comprehensive information and links about Magnolia

Magnolia is a large genus of about 120 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae.

species are mainly found in eastern North America, Central America and east and southeast Asia, although some are also found in South America.

The genus is named after Pierre Magnol, a botanist from Montpellier in France. The first species belonging to this genus to be identified was (Sweetbay magnolia), found by missionaries sent to North America in the 1680s. The second was another North American plant, is an ancient genus. Having evolved before bees appeared, the flowers developed to encourage pollination by beetles. As a result, the carpels of have been found dating to 20 million years ago, and of plants identifiably belonging to the Magnoliaceae back to 95 million years ago. Another primitive aspect of Magnolias are their lack of distinct sepals or petals. The term tepal has been coined to refer to the intermediate element that has instead. Magnolias are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Giant Leopard Moth.

The magnolia is the official state flower of both Mississippi and Louisiana. For this reason, it has become a symbol of support for the regions most heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in the late summer of 2005 (for example, presenters at the 2005 Emmy Awards on September 18, 2005, wore magnolias on their lapels, as did host Ellen DeGeneres, a New Orleans native). Mississippi's state nickname is the "Magnolia State", because of the abundance of magnolias in the state. The magnolia is also the official state tree of Mississippi.

table Note: the following list only includes temperate species; many other species occur in tropical areas. For a full list, see the Magnolia Society list Anthers open by splitting at the front facing the centre of the flower. Deciduous or evergreen. Flowers produced after the leaves. is a genus which has attracted a lot of horticultural interest. Hybridisation has been immensely successful in combining the best aspects of different species to give plants which flower at an earlier age than the species themselves, as well as having more impressive flowers. One of the most popular garden magnolias is a hybrid, has been used in a similar manner. The aromatic bark contains magnolol and honokiol, two polyphenolic compounds that have demonstrated anti-anxiety and anti-angiogenic properties. Magnolia bark also has been shown to reduce allergic and asthmatic reactions.