Ashe Magnolia Magnolia Mac. Ashei 3 Gal

The Ashe magnolia is a small deciduous tree with a broad, round top. It has leaves 2-3 feet long and sometimes a foot wide. They are wider near the tip than at the stem, green on the upper surface and whitish beneath. The blossoms, which grow at the end of stout stems, are fragrant, creamy white, cup-shaped, opening out flat as they mature. Each blossom has 6-8 petals, up to 6 inches long and about half as wide, and pointed at the tip. The pistils form a fleshy, oval, seed-bearing cone which enlarges as it matures, 2-4 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. The seeds are attached to the cone by slender threads.

This rare species of very local distribution is closely related to Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla), which is taller and has larger leaves and flowers. Named for its discoverer, William Willard Ashe (1872-1932), pioneer forester of the United States Forest Service.