Magnolias. Trees from the Otherworld. 

That’s what they felt like to me. Trees from another world. Trees with giant flowers. Friends with Limes, Lemons, Almonds, Avocados, and Oranges. This world is a deep empire of valleys hosting rivers that feed the Pacific Ocean.

My childhood was shaded by Ponderosa Pine, Jeffrey Pine, Incense Cedar, Scrub Oak, Apple, and, of course, the ever-looming giant of my childhood that sprouted “caterpillars” and heart-shaped leaves, Cottonwood. 

Travel between these worlds took about 30-60 minutes depending on the valley of destination. 

The world of Joshua Trees, Cacti, Chaparral, and Sagebrush opened like a great spiky maw at our foothills. The realm of needles that only led further to worse things, like the sting of scorpions and the thorns of Ocotillo but gave way to painted deserts and shimmering mirage. The desert world stretched forever into the distance.

These were the magical realms of my childhood. Southern California is so diverse in landscape that I enjoyed the hiking trails of the San Gabriel mountains in my back yard, fresh orange juice at Grandma’s house, a bus trip to the spiky world for high school (yet another sharp-edged realm), and evenings at the coast listening to the ocean’s roar. 

What I remember most about Magnolia is the fragrance. A friend and her family had roots in Mississippi and often incorporated the Southern Magnolia into floral arrangements and corsages for spring events. The aromatics of the corsage intoxicated me with the anticipation of what life would bring.

The fragrance of Magnolia is an inspiration the world over representing endurance, perseverance, the ability to stand tall despite adversity. Although the flowers are often held up as a paragon of femininity, they are tough enough to endure storms and often bloom more than once in a season. Thus the term Steel Magnolia.

One of the oldest known tree families, Magnolias developed a relationship with beetles as pollinators. Biologists believe this happened because Magnolias existed before bees did.

So I suppose it’s no surprise that these giant beings that have endured through everything we call ancient would have developed the capacity to inspire a deep sense of anticipation for the life ahead.

Or maybe that was just teen spirit.

Learn more about Magnolia in A Year of Trees: Trees in Folklore & Folk Medicine.