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The magnolia tree belongs to a large genus of about 210 flowering-plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. Magnolia trees create stunning, cup-like blossoms in pink, red, purple, white or a rich, buttery-yellow with intricate insides. The magnolia tree is one of earth's first flowering plants, and it evolved before bees were here to pollinate. Because of its ancient beginnings, horticulturists study the magnolia flower to learn the evolution of its flower structure. Other trees related to the magnolia, and some not, also have wide, pink-petal flowers with a rich, soapy fragrance.
Pink Flowering Dogwood
- dogwood blossoms image by ryasick from Fotolia.com
The pink flowering dogwood shows off a spectacular bloom in spring. Like the magnolia flower, the pink dogwood's bloom displays white bracts, or modified leaves, surrounding a group of smaller flowers. The magnolia has six broad petals while the pink flowering dogwood has four, each with a rounded indent at the end. Its petals are ribbed, like those of a pink magnolia tree.
Blooming Tulip Tree
- red tulip image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
The blooming tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a separate deciduous tree from the saucer magnolia. The flowers on both trees are extraordinarily similar, each with 1/3-diameter, thick-pink petals. However, the saucer magnolia tree usually grows to just 30 feet tall, while the tulip tree soars up to 80 feet at full maturity.
Lily
- beautiful pink lily image by Tolbxela from Fotolia.com
The lily plant blooms large, fragrant flowers with six petals. Because the lily plant is hardy, requires regular care, and can withstand colder temperatures, it is often considered a tree but it only grows to 4 or 5 feet at full maturity. Like the pink magnolia tree blooms, lilies also have thick petals and an intriguing cup-like shape. In 2008, a horticulturalist at Cornell University created the "Mauve Majesty," a pink lily look-alike. The pinkish-purple flower -- with strong, upright flower stems -- blooms all summer long in the cooler, northern states until the first hard freeze. So, this lily can bloom pink all year, unlike the perennial pink magnolia tree.
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