Hardly anyone knows that magnolias not only develop beautiful, fragrant flowers, but also interesting-looking fruits.
Is the fruit of magnolia edible?
The fruits of the magnolia are not edible for humans as they are considered poisonous and consumption can result in painful cramps. However, the seeds are eaten by birds, which help spread the magnolia.
Magnolia has impressive fruits
The fruits of the magnolia are so-called follicles, a form of seed encapsulation that emerged very early in evolution. The shape of the magnolia fruits is very similar to a pine cone and, depending on the variety, they are usually surrounded by brown to red flesh. When the seeds are ripe, the fruit opens so that the seeds, held only by a thin thread, can be clearly seen. In their countries of origin, the seeds are often eaten by birds, which help the magnolia to spread further. However, since the magnolia as a whole is considered poisonous to humans, it is not advisable to consume the fruit - this would most likely result in painful cramps.
Getting seeds and propagating magnolia
Nevertheless, you can use the magnolia fruits, namely to obtain seeds and thus to propagate the magnolia. However, this only works with pure specimens; with crosses and hybrids the result is uncertain. In contrast to propagation through offshoots or moss, offspring grown from seeds do not have the same genetic characteristics as the mother plant, which is why a completely different species can suddenly grow from the seed when crossed. When growing magnolia from a seed, do the following:
- Harvest the ripe seeds.
- Soak them in lukewarm water for several days.
- Change this daily.
- Then rinse the remaining pulp and rub off the reddish coating.
- Now the actual black seed appears.
- Pack this with moist sand in an airtight container.
- Store in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator over the winter.
- In spring, fill a small flower pot with peaty soil.
- Put the seed core in there and cover it with about a finger's width of soil.
- Keep the soil moist.
- Be patient.
When and whether the seed germinates at all is purely a matter of luck. Magnolia seeds do not have a particularly high germination rate, and many seeds also take an extremely long time to germinate. So don't lose heart, it's best to plant several seeds and always water them well.
Tips & Tricks
Both the fruits and seeds of the magnolia are wonderful for an autumnal decoration, for example in a container.