''Magnolia acuminata'', commonly called the cucumber tree (often spelled as a single word "cucumbertree"), cucumber magnolia or blue magnolia, is one of the largest magnolias, and one of the cold-hardiest. It is a large forest

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

of the Eastern United States and Southern Ontario in Canada. It is a tree that tends to occur singly as scattered specimens, rather than in groves.Sternberg, G., & Wilson, J. (2004). Native Trees for North American Landscapes. Portland, Oregon:Timber Press The cucumber tree is native primarily within the Appalachian belt, including the Allegheny Plateau and Cumberland Plateau, up to western

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

and New York. There are also numerous disconnected outlying populations through much of the southeastern U.S., and a few small populations in Southern Ontario. In Canada, the cucumber tree is listed as an endangered species and is protected under the Canadian Species at Risk Act.White, D.J. (2000). Update COSEWIC Status Report on the Cucumber Tree ''Magnolia acuminata'' in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa, Ontario In 1993 The North American Native Plant Society purchased Shining Tree Woods to preserve a stand of ''Magnolia acuminata,'' which is also known as "The Shining Tree". The leaves are

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...

simple and alternate, oval to oblong, 12–25 cm long and 6–12 cm wide, with smooth margins and downy on the underside. They come in two forms, acuminate at both ends, or moderately cordate at the base (these are usually only formed high in the tree). Unlike most magnolias, the

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s are not showy. They are typically small, yellow-green, and borne high in the tree in April through June. The leaves of Magnolia acuminata are pointed at the tip and provide it with its name - 'acuminate' means tapering to a fine point. The name Cucumber Tree refers to the unripe

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...

, which is green and often shaped like a small cucumber; the fruit matures to a dark red color and is 6–8 cm long and 4 cm broad, with the individual carpels splitting open to release the bright red

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosper ...

s, 10-60 per fruit. The ripe fruit is a striking reddish orange color.

Uses and cultivation

Cucumber trees are excellent shade trees for parks and

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...

s, though they are not recommended for use as street trees. In cultivation, they typically only grow tall, although they reach over in ideal

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

situations. They can become quite massive: the United States national (and presumed world) champion in Stark County, Ohio measures eight feet (2.4 m) in diameter and tall. They grow best in deep, moist, well-drained

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

s that are slightly acidic although they are tolerant of alkaline soils. They are tricky to

transplant Transplant or Transplantation may refer to: Sciences *Transplanting a plant from one location to another *Organ transplantation, moving an organ from one body to another *Transplant thought experiment, an experiment similar to Trolley problem *Tra ...

due to their coarse, fleshy root system and should be planted shallow and moved in early spring with a good soil ball. In the

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including Beam (structure), beams and plank (wood), planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as fini ...

trade, the wood of this tree is interchangeable with that of the related tuliptree (''Liriodendron tulipifera''). ''Magnolia acuminata'' has been used in hybridizing new varieties that share its yellow flower color and cold hardiness. It additionally has been marked as a pollinator plant, supporting and attracting bees and butterflies. It is a host plant for butterflies, providing food during their larval stage.

Gallery

File:Magnolia acuminata leaves 01 by Line1.jpg, Leaves File:Cucumber magnolia.jpg, Fruit File:Cucumber Magnolia Magnolia acuminata Bark Vertical.JPG, Bark File:Cucumber tree sections.jpg, Sections of timber from ''

The American Woods Romeyn Beck Hough (1857–1924) was an American physician and botanist best known for creating ''The American Woods'', a 14-volume collection of wood samples from across North America. Life and work Hough acquired an interest in forestry and ...

'' File:Magnolia acuminata maturing fruit.jpg, Maturing fruit File:Magnolia acuminata mature fruit.jpg, Mature fruit File:Magnolia acuminata leaves.jpg, Leaves File:Magnolia acuminata tree.jpg, 1880 accession (#15154*D), Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

References

External links

''Magnolia acuminata'' images at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Plant Image Database
*Damery, Jonathan
"Founding fruit."
''ARBlog,'' Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University website, 28 August 2019. Accessed 16 April 2020.
"Hunnewell Building, spring, magnolia, 1986."
''Library Featured Images,'' Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University website, 13 July 2017. Accessed 16 April 2020.
Flora of N.Amer-RangeMap: ''Magnolia acuminata''''Famous example at Violet Banks in Virginia'' posted at remarkabletree.cnre.vt.edu
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1249099 acuminata Trees of the Eastern United States Trees of Eastern Canada Trees of the Northeastern United States Trees of the North-Central United States Trees of the Southern United States Trees of the Southeastern United States Trees of the Great Lakes region (North America) Flora of the Appalachian Mountains Trees of Ontario Plants described in 1759 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Trees of humid continental climate