The laurel-leaved garden magnolia expressed dignity to the Victorians. The wild, swamp-dwelling magnolia suggested perseverance.
The magnolia is an ancient species, millions of years older than Homo sapiens. First to cultivate magnolias were the Chinese, who loved them for their beauty, and flavored soups with their buds. In China, the magnolia is an emblem of gentleness and feminine beauty.
In the American South, the magnolia is the tree of society. Growing up to eighty feet tall and casting fragrance from its creamy white blossoms, the magnolia perfumes the cotillion in the southern night.
The magnolia’s heavy pod exposes scarlet seeds in the fall.
