Is the magnolia a deciduous or evergreen plant?

In ancient times, magnolia was also called xinyi; when describing a girl's hands as being as soft as xinyi, it is this xinyi that is meant. It is native to the central provinces of our country, and is now cultivated in Beijing and south of the Yellow River basin. In the poem "Xinyi Wu," the great poet of the Tang Dynasty said of the magnolia, “A hibiscus flower at the tip of the tree, sending forth red calyxes in the mountains.” So, is the magnolia a deciduous or evergreen plant?

I. Phenological characteristics of the magnolia

The magnolia native to our country is a deciduous tree, also called wangchunhua in the south. It blooms in April and produces leaves after flowering; it is generally deciduous, but in the warm climate of South China it can also remain evergreen all year round. In addition, there is a magnolia introduced from abroad called the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), which is an evergreen tree native to the southeastern part of North America and is now cultivated in cities south of the Yangtze River basin in China.

The magnolia is one of our country's unique precious garden flowers and trees, and along with the changes of history it has multiplied from generation to generation down to the present; it still grows wild in places such as Mount Lu, Mount Huang and Mount Emei. The white magnolia's branches spread gracefully, and its tree form is very elegant; although its flowers and leaves are both delicate, it has unusual cold resistance, and from various places in the south of our country it can spread all the way north, at its farthest crossing the Great Wall to settle at the southern end of the Northeast Plain.

II. Main values of the magnolia

The magnolia is a traditional ornamental plant, generally opening in early spring in March; its flowers are large and the flower shape is pretty, and when open its delicate fragrance carries far. There are very many varieties of magnolia, including Luotian magnolia and elliptic-bud magnolia, and the flower colors range from white to yellow and purple, with extremely high ornamental value. The magnolia can be said to be among the earliest batch of plants to bloom in spring, often opening large white flowers amid a scene of lush green, and with its fragrant scent it always lets people feel an indescribable temperament.

In addition, the magnolia also has high medicinal value. The Qing Dynasty work "Hua Jing" records, “its (flower) petals, when selected and washed clean and fried in sesame oil with batter, are extremely good, or they may also be soaked in honey”. The flower contains volatile oil, which can be used to make perfume and the like; it is also rich in vitamins, amino acids and various trace elements, and has the effect of dispelling wind and dispersing cold and regulating the flow of qi and the lungs.

The above is some related knowledge about the magnolia. Whether a plant is evergreen mainly depends on its variety and the region where it is grown, and friends who are interested can also study it in greater depth.