STORY BEHIND THE ART OF CHARLOTTE RICKER

Wildly Exquisite: Florida’s Native Plants

Southern Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora

The Southern Magnolia tree (Magnolia grandiflora) is among the earliest flowering plants. This species evolved millions of years ago when only the most basic pollinators such as beetles and flies were available to pollinate the oversized blossom. These evergreen trees can grow to 100 feet tall, and the large, white blossoms stand out against a backdrop of dense, lush green foliage. I spent my childhood among these majestic beauties in the south, and had the opportunity to reconnect with the ornamental varieties while living on the west coast, where they thrive in parks and gardens. I visited this particular magnolia tree over the course of 2 years, sketching and making notes of how it changed with the seasons and watching the variety of wildlife it sustained. Each week, I collected, dissected and documented specimens that the tree discarded to study its structure and search for clues to its evolutionary success.

The thick, leathery leaves are deep green and shiny on one side with rust-colored fuzz on the other. They grow in an alternate arrangement on thick, gnarled branches patterned with leaf scars that reveal the tree’s history. In early spring, cream-colored, furry husks emerge from the ends, continuing to elongate and eventually cracking open to expose a bright green bud. In the coming weeks, these buds bloat and change color until the tough, leathery petals splay out into 12" wide blossoms with a colorful gynoecium at the center. A lemony, citronella fragrance hangs in the air as a multitude of beetles and insects arrive for the feast. These days, bees, moths, butterflies and wasps join the original pollinators, and cause the trees to buzz with life. The central structure is made up of a spiraling tower of carpals with curled, sticky stigmas, surrounded by a mass of tightly packed stamens. The flowers only last 2-3 days, opening during the day and closing up at night. The pink-tipped stamens drop into the bowl-shaped bloom, leaving cranberry stains on the wilting, white petals. The thick, rubbery petals turn a rich russet color as they dry and fall to the ground, leaving behind a neon yellow-green pod. The cone-shaped aggregate fruit continues to swell to 4 times its original size, turning a vivid peachy-pink color. In late summer, the inflated seedpod dries to a greenish-brown and the follicles pop open to reveal bright crimson red seeds suspended from silky threads. Migrating songbirds and small mammals nibble on the fatty seeds, ensuring the magnolia’s survival by dispersing the seeds far and wide. The empty seedpods eventually drop to the ground, leaving room for new buds to emerge the following spring.

This piece was created by layering watercolor and colored pencil to capture the details and variety of textures found in the different parts of the magnolia.

In my botanical illustration work, I apply an intense curiosity and detailed analysis to explore the morphology of each species and the processes that it undergoes for survival. I am interested in studying the interconnectedness of all living things and the role that plant and animal species play in the greater ecosystem.

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