MAgestic Magnolia

Magnolia grandifolia

Gender - Feminine
Planet - Venus
Element - Earth

“Blossoms on our magnolia ignite the morning with their murderous five days’ white.”
~ Robert Lowell, poet, from Man and Wife

My fascination with the magnolia has always been its extraordinary beauty and eloquence, so short lived. Nature teaches us lessons, and my lesson from the magnolia is to live life to the fullest, as it is fleeting. Thankfully, we have more than five days! Aren’t we fortunate to have decades to bloom?

The first documentation of the magnolia’s discovery was in the West Indies and the flower was named after Pierre Magnol, the innovative botanist who devised a naming system for plant classifications, a century before Linnaeus. At that time, there was thought to be only one species. There are currently estimated to be two or three hundred varieties.The Magnolia grandiflora is the large, showy pink that most of us think of first. Buddhist monks favored the pure white Magnolia denudata, the Yulan magnolia, as a symbol of purity. The blossoms come in white, pink, magenta, purple, yellow and green. Do you have a favorite?

Since life on earth began, there have been five mass extinctions, ice ages, mountain formations, continental drifts and other changes in climate that have eliminated most plants and animals from those early years. Magnolia is one of the very few survivors. It arrived ninety-five million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period, estimated to be almost twenty-seven million years before Tyrannosaurus rex.  Magnolias were here long before bees and were pollinated by a flightless beetle. Their petals are strong and durable to avoid damage from the beetles. This contributes to their strength and longevity. They are exemplary survivors: titans of resilience and adaptability. 

Herbalists define herbs as ‘any plant that is useful’. The magnolia’s beauty is useful enough for me, but they have other functions. They are edible, and the petals, if gathered as they first begin to bloom, can be eaten raw in salads. Their flavor is described as spicy, similar to a ginger and cardamon blend. I haven’t tried them yet, but I’ll let you know when I do! They are also dried and ground to flavor pastries and rice. The buds can be pickled or broiled. The entire flower can be dried and used for tea, to flavor miso, or they can be deep fried and dipped in sauces. The intensity of the flavor is related to their color. The light blossoms are mild and the darker ones are spicier. 

They have medicinal benefits as well. The bark and buds have been used to treat headaches, asthma, inflammation, depression, stress, fever, and digestive problems. Magnolias have also been used to improve heart health and treat stroke. 

This is just a brief overview of the magnolia’s many attributes. As always, I encourage you to continue to research and explore if this plant captures your interest!

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