Content
- Magnolia fruit ripens in autumn
- Botanical features of magnolia fruit
- Magnolia fruits are not edible
- Use new magnolias from the seeds
- Tips & Tricks
Magnolia fruit ripens in autumn
After flowering, the magnolia develops pod, brown or red fruits which, when ripe, do not look dissimilar to a pine cone. Once the pods burst, the seeds are ripe and can be removed for propagation. In addition, the magnolia fruits can be wonderfully used as an autumnal decoration. But they are not edible.
Botanical features of magnolia fruit
Magnolia fruits represent a very early, fascinating stage of evolution. These are so-called follicles, which are also referred to as opening or scattered fruit. They owe their name to their ability to open themselves - like a pine cone - in a ripe state and let the seeds emerge. The fruits are surrounded by a fleshy, reddish pericarp, also the ripe seeds are colored red. Thus, magnolia fruits represent another wonderful blob of color in the autumnal nature. The seeds are not dissimilar to flat chestnuts and remain connected to the pericarp with a connecting thread.
Magnolia fruits are not edible
The fruits of magnolia are considered to be poisonous to humans and are therefore not edible. However, their seeds serve many birds as feed, although the acceptance among the local wild birds is probably rather low. The magnolia is an exotic tree and is therefore probably not recognized as a possible food donor. In other parts of the world, on the other hand, the distribution of magnolia occurs mainly via birds.
Use new magnolias from the seeds
From the mature seeds of magnolia you can even bring in new magnolias, which, however, you need a good deal of patience. Magnolias are cold germs, d. H. the seeds can not be planted immediately. First of all, they have to be stratified for a few months in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, packed airtight in moist sand. To maintain the germination of the seeds as long as possible, first place them in lukewarm water after removing them from the fruit. Then carefully remove the red pulp so that only the black seeds remain. After stratification you can plant the seeds:
Now it is time to wait, because the germination period of the young magnolia seedlings is very different from each other. Some germinate very fast, while others take several months. However, the germination rate of magnolia seeds is generally very poor.
Tips & Tricks
It is much easier and more promising to multiply magnolias by lowering or by moss.