THE LIFE CYCLE OF A MAGNOLIA FLOWER IN PICTURES

At the request of one of our readers, Ma Faye Liana Balatbat, today's blog is on something different, at least for me. Fay asked if I would show some of my flower pictures, the only problem with that is I didn't have any. I just do not photograph flowers. Don't take that wrong. I love flowers. I have had gardens in every home I have lived in. It is just that they do not inspire me to point my lens in their direction. 

As I thought about what I would find interesting to photograph, I saw the magnolia tree in our yard. As I looked out our dining room window, I noticed it was getting ready for its first bloom of the season. We had been living here at the very end of the season and I had noticed that while the flowers are beautiful in full bloom, they only stay that way for about twenty four hours. Then they start drying out and turning a pretty ugly brown. 

Here are some fun facts on magnolias:

Magnolia is a large genus of about 210^[1] flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol.

Magnolia is an ancient genus. Having evolved before bees appeared, the flowers developed to encourage pollination by beetles. As a result, the carpels of Magnolia flowers are tough, to avoid damage by eating and crawling beetles. Fossilised specimens of M. acuminata have been found dating to 20 million years ago, and of plants identifiably belonging to the Magnoliaceae dating to 95 million years ago^{[citation needed]}. Another primitive aspect of Magnolias is their lack of distinct sepals or petals.

The natural range of Magnolia species is a disjunct distribution, with a main center in east and southeast Asia and a secondary center in eastern North America, Central America, the West Indies, and some species in South America.

I found the fact that they evolved before bees fascinating and that they developed to encourage pollination by beetles to be equally fascinating. 

Now a flower interested me!!! I wanted to photograph the life cycle of this beautiful flower. That this flower could bloom into this large white beauty and then die so quickly seemed almost romantic. I thought if I was going to do this, I would try and do it in my style. I would not just document it. I wanted to add a little style, a little art to my images. I hope you enjoy them, I would have had them sooner but there is usually a little breeze here in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. I kept waiting for a still day and waiting and waiting. I finally decided to go for it. I used two different lenses: a 105 macro and my trusty 70-200 VR zoom. I also used my tripod, focusing on a flower and then waiting for a lull in the breeze. The lull never really came but I think I captured some interesting images. I am hoping you do too:)

The pod is the first stage. 

                    The bud shows a little hint of the beauty that is coming.

                                  This shows the flower just starting to open.

           A view from the side showing the delicate lines of the flower.

         This flower had a visitor, actually all the blooms were being attacked by bees. Thankfully they left me alone.

    In full bloom this flower is about 4-5 inches across. I think they are really beautiful flowers.

  There is a certain sadness, that its life is so short that within a day the beauty quickly fades.

  It is like seeing a physically beautiful man or woman grow old in front of your eyes in a matter of hours; turning from a young beauty to a very old person. 

  Alas the beauty's gone but like people the beauty is never forgotten and the cycle starts again.

   The seed pod, the fruit from where new life starts.