| Cucumber-Tree is a deciduous medium-sized tree common in the Mountains, rare in the Piedmont of North Carolina. The leaves are similar to other deciduous Magnolias, particularly the Umbrella-Tree (Magnolia tripetala), but are a bit shorter, more broadly ovate, thicker, and are not clustered at the ends of branches. Alleghany Co., NC 5/31/2009.
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| Alleghany Co., NC 5/31/2009.
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| Alleghany Co., NC 5/31/2009.
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| Flower bud. Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.
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| Large yellow-green flowers open in mid-spring. The flowers are not as large or showy as those of most other Magnolias. Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.
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| Old flower beginning to develop into a cone-like fruit, technically called an aggregrate of follicles. The odd common name, Cucumber-Tree, refers to the cucumber-like shape of the immature fruits. Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.
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| Young leaves. Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.
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| Buncombe Co., NC 7/8/06.
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| Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.
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| Bark of a small tree. A quick and easy way to tell Cucumber-Tree apart from other Magnolias is to look at the bark -- it is rough, quite unlike the smooth bark of the others. Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.
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| Bark of a slightly larger tree. Buncombe Co., NC 7/8/06.
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| Alleghany Co., NC 5/31/2009.
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| More rough bark. Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly Co., NC 4/17/2011.
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| Alleghany Co., NC 5/31/2009.
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More information:
Bioimages
USFS Silvics Manual
University of Connecticut
Virginia Tech Dendrology
Recommended Tree, Shrub, and Woody Vine Identification Guides
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