Star magnolia blossoms have been peaking here for about a week. One of the smallest of the magnolia trees and shrubs, the stars seem to like a wet, chilly (but not freezing) spring. Perhaps this is because they originated in the high areas of Japan’s Honshu Island.
When there’s a good breeze and the star magnolia branches are swaying, the blossoms’ many white tepals make the plant look like a swarm of ancient deep-sea life caught in a light. In fact, magnolias are very old plants. They’re so old, they originated before bees evolved, according to the literature. But, of course, there were plenty of early flies and beetles to do the magnolia pollen-carrying in the Early Cretaceous period. And, flies and beetles pollinate the shrubs to this day.
(Image taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 9, 2026.)