365 Urban Species. #234: Cucumbertree

[urbpan]

Photos by cottonmanifesto. Location: Brookline Ave., Boston.

Urban species #234: Cucumbertree Magnolia acuminata

This tree was a mystery to us until cottonmanifesto asked for some help identifying it from her blog readers. It's a large tree, but it's in a bushy row of trees between the street and our nearby city park. Its leaves are huge and glossy, but otherwise not distinctive, and in late summer, it bears bizarre-looking fruit. A knowledgeable friend in Pennsylvania recognized it as a cucumbertree, native to the hillier parts of eastern North America, including the western half of Pennsylvania. It is not native to Massachusetts, but in Boston that is true of a majority of our tree species. It is, in fact, a magnolia; the most cold-loving species of a group of trees more well-known in the southern states.

The magnolia family is an ancient group of flowering plants which evolved before "advanced" insects such as bees and butterflies. Instead magnolias rely on beetles to pollinate them, and their flowers are sturdy, fleshy structures that can withstand the attention of heavier insects. While other magnolias are known for their showy flowers, the cucumbertree's flowers are yellow and green, and, though large, blend in with its oversized foliage. The cucumbertree is named for its long pinkish fruit, which, when young, is fed upon by blackbirds. The seeds of the tree are eaten by other birds and mammals. The tree was undoubtedly chosen for planting in the park for its rapid growth, its value as a shade tree, and for its exotic character. Its position at the edge of the road allows it the full sun that it craves; also, fortunately, cucumbertrees can tolerate the acid, sandy soil that characterizes an urban roadside.

Comments

[drocera.livejournal.com]

My dad has a couple of those in his backyard. My sister and I used to call them ding dong trees.

[queenofstuff.livejournal.com]

Neat! I bet they're zone 5. I haven't seen any in MN. I miss New England! Only boring things grow here. ;)

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

It looks like it has its fans in your state: http://www.mnpower.com/treebook/fact46.html
but it isn't very common.

[bezigebij.livejournal.com]

I remember discovering that tree for the first time and being fasinated by the fruits. It was in front of stange tiled castle called Fonthill in Doylestown, PA. Jostles memory archive and smiles at the thought. Thanks.

[smallerdemon.livejournal.com]

*heh* As soon as I saw the picture I thought "Ah, Magnolia tree." and then read on to find that, in fact, not everyone is that familiar with them. (I grew up in Alabama. They're everywhere.)

San Francisco's arboretum has a huge number of them as well.

[corivax.livejournal.com]

That's really wierd! Neat!

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

just a note - i found a crushed fruit on the ground today and it smelled strongly of lemon.