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Japanese Bigleaf Magnolia🌸
Magnolia obovata
ホオノキ
A deciduous tree in the magnolia family — native to Japan and bearing some of the largest leaves and flowers among Japanese trees. The big leaves are used to wrap and grill food (e.g., hōba-miso). The bark is used in traditional medicine as 'kōboku'. The wood, soft and uniform, is used for crafts. Distributed from the southern Kurils to Kyushu.
Identification Points
- ✓Large obovate leaves 20–40 cm long, whorled at branch tips
- ✓Bowl-shaped fragrant white flowers ~15 cm across
- ✓Cylindrical aggregate fruit with red seeds
Habitat
Montane deciduous forests
Season
May to June (flowers)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Ovate
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Flower color
White
Flowering season
Spring
Habitat
Forest
Phylogenetic Positionモクレン科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Magnoliids > Magnoliales > Magnoliaceae
Divergence Era
Early Cretaceous (approx. 100 million years ago onward)
Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification