Magnolia: A Flower That Existed Before Bees and Butterflies (Korean and Chinese Magnolia Differentiation)

Hello! This time, we're going to learn about the beautiful magnolia together. Magnolia is one of the flowers loved by many people for its special beauty. Shall we explore the charm of magnolia, which captivates with its gorgeous petals and fragrant scent?

Magnolia (木蓮, Magnolia), particularly Magnolia kobus, a species of the genus Magnolia, has the scientific name Magnolia kobus A. P. DC. It is a deciduous tree distributed in Korea (Jeju Island) and blooms white flowers from March to April.

Please remember that the magnolia we know is mostly Chinese Yulan Magnolia (백목련), not the native Korean magnolia that originally existed.

The flower language of magnolia is **“Noble spirit, Nobility, Fraternal love, Love of nature”** (숭고한 정신, 고귀함, 우애, 자연애). Doesn't it go well with the beautiful appearance of magnolia?

The generic name or the name called in the Western world is Magnolia, which originated from Pierre Magnol, a French botanist in the 18th century. Its white and abundant petals are beautiful, but when the flowers fall, they turn brown like old, overripe banana peels and scatter on the ground, making it look unsightly. It seems that the flower language of nobility suits it well, as its beauty can only be seen when it is in full bloom.

I will tell you about how to distinguish between the magnolia we generally know and the magnolia that originally grew wild.

The flower that people commonly call magnolia is Yulan Magnolia (백목련), which has 6 petals and 3 sepals that look like petals. 'Magnolia' (목련) has 6 petals and spreads much wider and flatter when it blooms compared to Yulan Magnolia. Other varieties include purple magnolia (자목련), Japanese magnolia (일본목련), star magnolia (별목련), and Korean native species such as Kobus magnolia (함박꽃나무). The flower buds before flowering can also be picked and made into magnolia tea.

Therefore, it is one of the oldest flowering plants that has survived from the Cretaceous period to the present day, and Virginia magnolia is also the type species of all angiosperms.

In the past, it was thought to belong to the Ranunculales order, but with the development of molecular biology technology in the 21st century, it was revealed that magnolia and similar plants are primitive angiosperms completely different from other dicotyledonous plants. As a result, it is said to have become independent as a separate clade called Magnoliids.

The time when magnolia appeared is very old. It was before bees and butterflies appeared, so it is said that it evolved to attract insects such as beetles that eat pollen instead of nectar. Because of this, there are many trees in the Magnoliids that have strongly fragrant flowers that spread far and wide.

I really like the scent of magnolia. I think that when magnolia blossoms in full bloom during the spring season, it makes the spring season stand out even more. Its appearance and fragrance remind me of spring and act as a medium that makes me yearn for the neighborhood where I lived as a child.

There is a flower called Kobus magnolia (함박꽃나무) that looks similar. Although it is a different species from magnolia, it belongs to the same family and genus, Magnoliaceae and Magnolia. Kobus magnolia is said to be the national flower of North Korea.

There is a legend about Yulan Magnolia (백목련) and purple magnolia (자목련). I'll tell you that story. The Jade Emperor (옥황상제) was preparing to marry off his daughter, but the princess did not want to get married. The reason was that she already loved the god of the North Sea. However, the god of the North Sea was already married. The princess was shocked and took her own life. The god of the North Sea was saddened by her daughter's death and gave his wife poison to eat, and held a funeral for the two women. Afterwards, Yulan Magnolia (백목련) grew from the princess's grave, and purple magnolia (자목련) bloomed from the grave of the god of the North Sea's wife. There is a story that the god of the North Sea remained single for the rest of his life.

We have learned about magnolia until now!