Magnolia Seeds

This week, a bright red seed caught my eye. It was suspended from a cone-like structure in a tree and dangled and swayed in the breeze on a silken thread like a spiderling. The tree is a southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). It is native to our area—a large evergreen with leathery leaves that are green on top and fuzzy-brown underneath.

This is what we learned:

• The cones contain the fruit of the tree and develop in the center of a large, creamy white and saucer-shaped flower that is about 8” in diameter. 
• The seeds dangle to attract the attention of birds who eat them. The red fleshy part of the fruit provides food for the birds. 
• The bird digests the fruit and leaves behind the seed—ready to grow into a new tree. 

 If you live in a part of the country where these trees thrive, you can gather the seeds, scrape off the red fleshy part, and plant them to grow magnolia trees in your yard or neighborhood!