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| I was shocked to see this large freaky pink blob on the end of one my magnolia branches. I found a couple of pictures online that made me think it might be fruit instead of some disease. This growth is quite large as you can tell by the normal sized fall flower bud just to the right of it.
It is probably one of the non-native hybrid magnolias. It has been here since at least the early 80's, but stayed stunted due to large maples shading it and competing with the roots. Last year one of the maples went down in a storm and the magnolia was damaged as well. Now it has more sun and a flush of new scraggly growth. I'm wondering if this might be the reason this "fruit" developed for the first time ever this year. I found one reference stating that hybrid magnolias can produce large deformed sterile fruit. Should I just remove it then? It is kind of cool looking.
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Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by strobiculate none (My Page) on Wed, Sep 19, 12 at 13:44
| Yeppers, fruit. Mags aren't exactly known as prolific producers of seeds, but it does happen, even the hybrids. I have a dozen seedlings that have sprouted over last few years. Don't be too sure the growth was "stunted". Mine were planted in the fifties...still not 30' |
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| I don't understand your concern with removing the fruit, even if it were sterile. There is no reasont to remove fruit from a magnolia tree. Mine are heavy with fruit (I have eleven of different species) and they're just part of the tree's interest and I enjoy them for what they are. |
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| I've not spent a lot of time examining Magnolia fruits, but wonder if the larger, more developed segments(?) might contain viable, enlarging/developing seeds, while the smaller, lesser-developed segments didn't get pollenated, and thus failed to enlarge? |
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| Good point .......just like those kernels on corn when they don't get pollinated. |
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| Thanks so much. It is good to know for sure it is just fruit and not disease or something. My thought about removing it if it would not produce seed was just so the tree did not put energy into developing it any more if there was no chance for seed. But I guess since there is just one fruit it wouldn't really make a difference either way. I will just leave it and see what happens. Thanks again. |
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