Magnolia

We have a small Magnolia tree beside our townhouse. It's a treat for us - no Magnolias in Saskatoon. The flowers don't last long in the spring but they are glorious. Magnolias are an ancient genus and it is thought the flowers evolved to attract beetle pollinators, before there were bees.

The buds on ours develop in the fall and wait patiently on the tree till spring, when they emerge before the leaves. The buds are furry and open to a brilliant pink that lightens as the flowers open.

The centers are quite intricate.

In the winter I had good luck photographing birds in the magnolia when they were resting after visiting the bird feeder. I thought a red house finch among the magnolia flowers would make a good photo. They didn't really cooperate but I managed a few shots.

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