The Fraser magnolia (Magnolia fraseri) also called Mountain magnolia, Earleaf cucumbertree, or Mountain-oread, is a small, deciduoustree native to the southern Appalachians. It is a basal-branching, fragrant plant, with auriculate-lobed leaves and brown bark with a "warty" or "scaly" texture. The white flowers are 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) wide and open from May to June, after the foliage. The fruit is a woody, oblong, cone-like structure (like all Magnolias) up to 5 inches long, covered in small, pod-like follicles which contain one or two red seeds that hang out from the cone by a slender thread when ripe. According to wildwnc.org, a good seed crop occurs only every 4 to 5 years. Reproduction is accomplished by both seed and vegetative reproduction.
This tree grows best on rich, moist, well-drained soil. The very large showy white flowers and large coarse foliage make this an attractive ornamental, but otherwise it has little commercial value. It is sometimes used in North America as a native alternative to exotic magnolias, it can be grown a considerable distance north of its natural range if given conditions favorable to its growth. The fruit is eaten by wildlife, especially by Towhees.
This tree has one variety, Magnolia fraseri var. pyramidata.
Another species with auriculate-lobed leaves is the Bigleaf magnolia.
References
Sternberg, Guy, (2004) Native Trees for North American Landscapes pp. 264. Timber Press, Inc.
Restricted mostly to the Appalachians, Frasermagnolia is found in moist habitats in the mountains of West Virginia, generally in the eastern half of the State, in western Virginia, in the southern Appalachians of east Tennessee and western North Carolina, and in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northwestern South Carolina and northeast Georgia (12,13).
Frasermagnolia is a moderately frequent tree species in a number of forest types; however, its relative density is generally less than 10 percent, regardless of its size or location (3,7,8).
Frasermagnolia seedlings have a deeply penetrating taproot.
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