As the cold of winter mellows in the first days of spring, the National Arboretum's gardens shake off their winter slumber and begin to brighten the grounds with fresh spring colors.
Deciduous magnolias are stars of the early spring show and catch the eye of many visitors.
The genus Magnolia is one of the oldest on the planet and includes small shrubby trees that bloom in early to mid-spring, as well as majestic evergreen trees that bloom in the heat of summer. The story of the magnolia is a fascinating one. Cone-like fruits hint of their link to conifers as one of the first groups of flowering plants to evolve. Further evidence of their ancient origin lies in their common ancestry with many species found only in eastern Asia. Eons ago, magnolias ruled vast tracts of primeval forest in the Northern Hemisphere.