Territory - Park of the Queen

Magnolia – Magnolia Grandiflora :

It is a plant native to the southeastern United States. It was imported into Europe in the early eighteenth century.
Woody plant, arboreal bearing, up to 25 meters high, with a pyramidal crown, dense foliage from base to apex.
The bark is dark gray, reddish in young branches, as it ages the bark breaks into small strips.
The leaves, up to 20-30 cm long, lanceolate, elliptical, are stiff and leathery, with the top glossy and dark green colored, the underside rust-colored and slightly hairy.
The Magnolia grandiflora is an evergreen plant. The leaves last about two years, after which they fall and are renewed.
The flowers are placed at the ends of branches, they are solitary and mature in the months of May, June and July.
With an intense fragrance, they are from 15 to 22 cm wide, dome-shaped, white, hermaphrodites and they have a very short duration.
Pollination is entomophilous.
The fruit is an achene and grows in ovoid bunches, 8-12 cm long. The seed is deep red in color and comes out from the achene at maturity.
The infructescence is tapered ovoid pedunculated.
The seed heads are green and closed initially, then at maturity become brownish and diverged highlighting the achenes.
In Europe, this plant has spread quickly and today it can be found everywhere, especially in gardens and parks.
It is mainly used as an ornamental plant.
The wood is sometimes used in carpentry for its ease of processing and for the duration in time.
Its bark has tonic properties and febrifugal ones.