magnolia fraseri - fraser magnolia/earleaf magnolia

This tree grows from 30 to 70 feet tall, and is 1 to 2 feet in diameter.  The tree is often branched near the base with an open crown of spreading branches, large leaves, and very large flowers.  The leaves are crowded, 8 to 18 inches long and 5 to 8 inches wide.  They are usually reverse ovate, broadest beyond the middle, short pointed at the tip with two large, pointed lobes at the narrow base.  The leaves are hairless and not toothed.  They are bright green above, pale and whitish beneath.  The bark is light gray, smooth or becoming scaly and thin.  The twigs are brown, stout, with ring scars at the nodes.  The flowers are 8 to 10 inches wide with 6 to 9 cream-colored petals that are fragrant, and solitary at the end of the twig.  The fruit is 4 to 5 inches long, cone-like and rose red.

This tree was named for John Fraser, a Scottish botanist, who introduced many North American plants to Europe.  It is fairly common in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It is also planted as an ornamental.

This tree grows in moist soils of mountain valleys and hardwood forests.  It flowers in the spring.