May 12, 2017. Madison, Mississippi. Magnolia Trees.

The magnolia trees have been in bloom for the past few weeks.  The blossoms have been magnificent.  When I walked today I could smell the blossoms all along my walk.   The biggest trees seem to have lost most of their blossoms but the smaller and newer trees are still full of blossoms.  Some of the smallest trees, which would be about 8 feet tall have so many blooms that I can not see the leaves.  Perhaps they are a different type of tree although they all look the same, only different in size.  I do not remember if the magnolia tree is the state tree or if the blossoms are the state flower but Mississippi is called The Magnolia State, and for good reason.  The trees are everywhere.

The first time we drove into Mississippi from Alabama along highway 20 the trees were in bloom all along the highway.  They were in the median and on both sides of the highway.  The welcome was warm and we loved the sight of all the blossoms in bloom.  When the blossoms are out, I notice all the trees but when the blossoms are gone, I never notice how many magnolia trees exist in the Jackson area.

At our last house in Maryland, on Franklin Street,  right between the top and lower garden was a huge magnolia tree.  It was magnificent and produced hundreds of blossoms every year.  We watched it carefully because the tree was old but every year it thrived.  I did learn that when I picked a blossom and put it inside in water, the blossom turned brown the next day, so I learned to leave the blossoms on the tree, where they belonged.  Now we enjoy the magnolia trees here in Mississippi, even from our own house, because we have a small tree in our property.  Pretty nice.