Magnolia dodecapetala

(Lam.) Govaerts

Magnoliaceae Edible: Flowers 19 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Magnolia dodecapetala is a species of plant in the genus Magnolia, family Magnoliaceae. It was described by a French naturalist named Lamarck, and it obtained the name from a Belgian botanist named Rafaël Herman Anna Govaerts.

Description

A tree. It can grow 40 m tall. The trunk usually has long buttresses. The trunk does not have branches for 12-18 m and the trunk is 90 cm across. The crown is large and round. The flowers are white and have a sweet scent.

Edible Uses

None known

Traditional Uses

The flowers are used to flavour liquors.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows between 420-750 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Central America, Leeward Is., Lesser Antilles, Martinique, Trinidad-Tobago, West Indies, Windward Is.,

Propagation

Seed.

Other Uses

The heartwood is dull dark brown to black, often streaked with shades of brown, and is sharply demarcated from the white to light yellow sapwood. The texture is fine with a straight grain, and once seasoned the wood has no distinctive odour or taste. It is reported to be hard, tough, and strong, though accounts of its durability vary — some sources claim the heartwood is never attacked by insects, while others report susceptibility to termite and fungal attack. The timber is also said to be resistant to shock, stress, compression, and tension, is difficult to split or twist, and has fairly good elasticity. It works easily and well but does not take nails or screws particularly well. The wood is prized for flooring due to its stability and the variety of colours in the heartwood, and is used extensively in small boat construction and fishing canoe hulls. Other applications include marquetry, interior finishing, gunstocks, and furniture.