Star magnolias have been at their most magnificent this week. Each of their fragrant flowers continually changes its flowing form in the wind, light, and shadows.
The plants, also called magnolia stellata, love full sun and are among the first large plants to flower in the spring. They also can be trained to grow into a shrub or tree:
As with many of our ”showy” flowering plants, star magnolias are natives to Japan. They were introduced in the United States in the 1860s.
(Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 5 [tree] and 6 [flowers], 2022.)