Now here's a beautiful evergreen!!  You may know it as Southern Magnolia or Magnolia grandiflora.  No grand flowers this time of year, but look at those gorgeous, shiny green leaves.  I have pictures from Colonial Williamsburg of fabulous Christmas wreaths made using magnolia leaves.  They provide such a great foundation.

 

Magnolias can be found along the east coast up to Delaware and down to Florida, and west to Mississippi and Louisiana.  They don't do well in colder climates;  the leaves get windburned, and turn brown.  But they grow well in maritime forests, and apparently here in the mountains.  

 

Magnolias grow to be huge pyramid shaped trees, up to 120 feet tall and 40 feet wide!!  They really need lots of room to grow.  Given space, Magnolias make breathtaking specimens.  You can see giant magnolias on big college campuses and  southern plantations, where they can really spread out and provide shade year-round.

 

They bloom in late spring, with 10 inch, citronella scented white flowers.  And the seed pods that follow are interesting too, with red berries nestled in the furry, cone like pod.  Birds and squirrels will eat the berries;  but the best use for them, I think, is decorative.  They're really festive looking.

 

The particular tree that I photographed is fairly young, so it has no seed pods yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing blossoms on it this spring.  I'll get back to you.

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!