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Tree id please!

Hi all,

I have this lovely 10' tree in my backyard, and no idea what it is. I believe it may be a tree from China, as my parents remember having trees like this while growing up there. The flowers are extremely fragrant - smelling like a mix of banana, apple, strawberry? Well, let's just say it smells awesome. the flower also has an odd quality of being very delicate. After it's half or fully opened, just touching it will make the petals fall off. If anyone knows the name of this tree, please let me know. Thanks!

tree.jpg

bud.jpg

bloom.jpg
 
I'm not sure but want to say it must be in the orchid tree family.
 
Magnolia Family? At first glance it looked like some sort of a magnolia cultivar.

Hmmm, glossy compound leaves that are smooth and ovate. A deciduous tree with alternate branching. Would you be in a position to add a photo here of the bark and also of just the leaves?  Does this tree fruit at all?  Maybe berries?  If so what color are the berries?
 
I'm thinkin Magnolia of some sort.

Joe
 
It's such an odd tree, the blooms are actually only 1-2" in diameter when they're open. The pictures of them as buds in the photos above are about the size of large almonds.

The leaves don't look like the orchid tree pics that I've seen, and are much smaller than common magnolias (which I also have in the backyard)
smile_m_32.gif


Well, I'll keep looking, thank's for all of the good suggestions so far. It does help!
 
I am thinking more and more that you have a magnolia.

Try here- http://www.magnoliasociety.org/index.html

And here is a great taxonomic listing-
http://www.magnoliasociety.org/classifications_ndx.html

A veritable plethora of cultivar listings here if you scroll down and click on the listed magnolias-
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modzz/modzzm.html

You are probably going to have to do a lot of Internet digging to narrow it down because there are so many hybrids out there.  

Best wishes to you.
 
Has to be magnolia related. Everything about it looks like a magnolia. Leaves, flower petals, pistils. But don't know what kind.
 
Yep magnolia related. I was thrown off by the color. YEs the right number of petals. Listen to Laura she certain knows a lot about "normal" plants. It may be a varity from china or somewhere in Asia.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Treaqum @ May 10 2005,4:37)]I'm not sure but  want to say it must be in the orchid tree family.
errrrr no, primarily because there is no such thing as an 'orchid tree'

Id saya Magnolia too
smile.gif

They are native to China and that part of Asia
 
  • #10
Magnolia, probably a hybrid. Ill help you narrow it down a bit, because it looks like it has atleast some parentege with subgenus Magnolia (Anthers open by splitting at the front facing the centre of the flower. Deciduous or evergreen. Flowers produced after the leaves )

The plants your familiar with are probably subgenus Yulania (Anthers open by splitting at the sides. Deciduous. Flowers mostly produced before leaves (except M. acuminata))

This section is native to china, the americas, and asia.
 
  • #11
Awesome! I have a positive ID from the Magnolia folks!!! Thanks to everyone for the input. I never, ever would have thought it was a magnolia. Anyway, I highly recommend getting this tree if you have the chance or inclination. The smell is great.


Michelle,

Your tree is most definitely Magnolia figo (formerly called Michelia figo).
M. figo is native to a wide area of South China including Guangdong,
Guangxi, and Jiangxi. I grows well throughout the southeastern US and the
west coast of California, Oregon, and Washington.

You probably noticed the sweet "candy-banana"- like fragrance of the blooms.

Thank you for your question.

Warm Regards,
**** Figlar
 
  • #12
hum a species i would have never guessed that
 
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