Cucumbertree
Magnolia acuminata L.
Also known as Cucumber Magnolia.
Mature Size: 60 to 80 feet in height and about 2 feet in diameter.
Form: Straight trunk and a narrow, pyramid-shaped crown.
Habitat: Mountain valleys and cool, moist slopes, especially those facing north or east.
Leaves
Alternate, simple, 6 to 10 inches long, 3 to 6 inches wide, oblong-oval with pointed ends and smooth, often wavy edges.
Flowers
2 to 3 inches long, bell-shaped, green to greenish-yellow, appearing in late spring or early summer.
Fruit
2 to 3 inch long conelike cluster, maturing from green to bright red to brown; ½-inch egg-shaped red seeds dangle on slender threads when ripe
Bark
Light gray-brown and flaky, soft enough to dent with thumbnail, much darker reddish brown when flaked away.
Twigs
Moderately thick, red-brown, with light pores; large, silky, white end bud, ring- like scars encircling twig at points of leaf attachment; twigs smell spicy-sweet when broken.
Values and Uses
The wood is light, soft and durable, harder and heavier than that of yellow-poplar, with which it is usually marketed. It is used for pallets, crates, plywood and furniture. The seeds are not a preferred wildlife food, but they are eaten by a few birds and mammals. Cucumbertree is also planted as an ornamental shade tree.
Did You Know?
The common name refers to the immature fruit's resemblance to a small cucumber.
