A deciduous medium-sized tree common in the Mountains, rare in the Piedmont of North Carolina. The leaves are similar to other deciduous Magnolias, particularly the Umbrella-Tree (M. tripetala), but are a bit shorter, more broadly ovate, thicker, and are not clustered at the ends of branches.

Buncombe Co., NC 7/8/06.

The odd common name refers to the cucumber-like shape of the immature fruits.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Bark of a small tree. A quick and easy way to tell Cucumber-Tree apart from other Magnolias is to look at the bark -- it is rough, quite unlike the smooth bark of the others.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Bark of a slightly larger tree.

Buncombe Co., NC 7/8/06.