Magnificent Magnolias

Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)

"Magnolia macrophylla was discovered by the elder Michaux in June, 1789, near Charlotte, North Carolina. It was introduced into European gardens in 1800; but it has never become widely distributed in them or in those of the United States, although, few trees equal it in beauty. The flowers and the leaves are the largest of any species of the genus, and they are larger and more conspicuous than those produced by any other tree of the North American forests. […] It requires no special care in cultivation, and young plants begin to flower when they are only a few years old."

This illustration and the description are from volume one of "The silva of North America" by Charles Sprague Sargent, 1841-1927. (Published by Houghton, Mifflin and Co., 1891-1902)