A really big white flower

By Aaron Horrell

The big white flowers I share with you here are the blossoms of a majestic tree called the Southern Magnolia. Most common in the landscapes of Deep South states such as Mississippi and Louisiana, this tree is at its northernmost natural range in Southeast Missouri.

The Southern Magnolia is a native evergreen tree that resists drought well and can reach over 50 feet tall in a sunny location. Its flowers can be over 12 inches across and grow at the ends of the limbs where they are easy to see.

This is our native magnolia.

The smaller magnolias with much smaller pink, purple and white flowers are hybrid deciduous trees that have their origins in Asia.