Southern Style

At the church where I am working I have been watching a magnolia tree whose buds were taking their time opening.  Today, after I have been away for a week, there are so many blooms!    Most above my head but I was able to pull this limb down to get a view of a few.  

They smell nice with petals that look like velvet.   One has already started to lose the little pink carpels that sit on the stamen.   The stamen will mature in to a pine cone looking fruit that turns bright red later in the year.   I will be looking forward to watching for that on this tree. 


A couple of other views in the extras.