Magnolia is a Latin name derived from the name of Pierre Magnol, a French professor of botany who died in 1715. The species name acuminata means with a long point and refers to the shape of the large leaf of the species which curves abruptly inward at the outer edges to end in a prominent point. There are only a few of these large trees on the Nature Center. In order to survive in a stand of trees, they must grow taller than any of the surrounding trees. When they are present as a canopy tree in an old growth forest they will indeed be magnificent specimens as many of these are.
Magnolias are members of one of the most ancient groups of flowering plants.
In North America, the Cucumber Magnolia is the northernmost species of the Magnolia family. The tree can be identified by its bark. It is dark brown and furrowed into narrow, scaly forking ridges. In summer the leaves of the tree are easily identified as well. Each 2 -3 seed pod is composed of many fruits that will each split open when ripe to expose two dark red to orange seeds hanging down in threads.