Friday, December 23, 2011

Plant: Southern magnolia blooms, fruits and seeds...........

When I arrived in Southern California in July, saw many trees abloom with big, cup shaped white flowers. Having a tendency to identify any flora or fauna that came my way, I browsed for it. Then one day, I found out that it was Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)....
Now, these flowers are blooming all over Orange County. Innumerable buds are peeping among the lustrous green foliage. The big unfurled blossoms and the carpet of withered petals on the ground are grabbing everybody's' attention. Though snapshots can't stand up to the ethereal beauty, a meager attempt.




Turning a pretty golden color...


Comes autumn and the blossoms wither away...

...and lovely, conical fruits of red color appear... 



In winter the fruits dry and  litter the lawns. Some pods are displaying the coral red seeds...............



I wonder what pigments cause the red color? Are they toxic? The pod has its own beauty..

Though the tree never turns bare, it undergoes the effect of shorter sunlight duration...Senescent canopy....

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