Plants of the Week: April 27

Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Alexandrina’

Our Magnolia collection is truly spectacular at this time of year, exhibiting a multitude of attractive colors, forms, and fragrances. M. ‘Alexandrina’ has exceptional blooms borne heavily all over the tree. Each flower has blush-pink and white tepals with plain white interiors. The bright red stamens are hidden by the large and heavy petals. M. x soulangeana is a hybrid cross between M. denudata x M. liliiflora. This particular cultivar was selected in the early 1830s for its exceptional flower colors as well as its reluctance to go to fruit. photo credit: J. Bickel

Trillium cuneatum

Every Spring excites my penchant for wildflower identification. After a long winter it is nice to see all the familiar favorites as well as the woodland gems that stop me in my tracks and have me fumbling for my Flora. I passed this trillium in the Meetinghouse Woods and had to stop to appreciate its peculiarity. Each flower has three sepals and three dark burgundy petals that stand upright. The single sessile flower sits atop a pedestal of three large, oval, patterned leaves mottled with dark green spots, borne in a whorl. It’s always a nice treat to find a native wildflower with such personality. photo credit: J. Bickel