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I fell in love with a particular tree's blossoms last year and just had to know what they were. Somehow, I came up with the answer of it being a tulip tree (though I don't remember the research process now). The blossoms are large and start out a very vivid purple, then blossom into more of a white with the purple being on the bottom/outside of the blossom. There are some on Capital Blvd near downtown, and on Wade Ave. Anyway, I'm having engagement photos done in Fred Fletcher Park next month (where there are a few 'tulip trees') and googled today to see how long the blossoms would last so I'd know if they'll be around for the photos. But wikipedia says tulip trees have white/green blossoms with an orange band and the picture doesn't look like 'my tulip tree'. Anyone know what type of tree it is that I'm talking about? Thanks in advance!
mizunomom is correct - a tulip magnolia is the tree you are looking for. The one in wikipedia sounds like a tulip poplar which are also common in our area.
Tulip Poplar = Tuliptree Magnolia. Tulip Poplars are actually in the magnolia family.
However Tuliptrees have yellow-green blooms, so I don't know that that was what you described.
Sounds more like a typical "saucer-type" magnolia -- the more common ones are usually as you describe with a purple/pink outer petal opening to display a creamy white center.
Google "saucer magnolia" (saucer is just a descriptive type to describe the shape of the blooms) and see if that is closer to what you are thinking of.
When I was growing up many people had a large one of these in their front yard -- because they bloom early (before they leaf out) the blooms are that much more noticeable. Unfortunately because they do bloom early, sometimes hard rains or high winds will take all the blooms off - in which case a carpet of white with pink tinge petals will litter the lawn below.
I have a shrub that I think is in the Magnolia family, it has small pale yellow flowers with dark maroon on the center of the petals, they look like magnolias but they smell like bananas, my grandmother called them Banana Fiscatta, does anyone out there know what kind of shrub this is and if it is indeed a type of Magnolia?
A quick search on google came up with the fact that "Magnolia Fuscata" seems to be the correct spelling - and it is indeed the Banana Magnolia. With a smaller bloom, but smelling of ripe bananas.
Sounds lovely! I love all magnolias - but this one's range (zone 8-10) is too South for me.
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