Red Berries – Star Magnolia and False Soloman’s Seal

Haven’t seen this before…the star magnolia has produced some berries. The little tree is about 5-6 feet tall and 8-9 years old. It flowered beautifully in very early spring. The number of blossoms was twice that of the previous year. The year before that there was only one blossom. Now this small decorative magnolia tree is showing several groups of two or three red-orange berries. What a nice surprise!

Star magnolia sporting orange berries and a winter bud for a new blossom next year.

Star magnolia sporting orange berries and a winter bud for a new blossom next year.

False Soloman’s Seal is heavy with bright red berries. The terminal cluster of berries is so heavy it weighs the tip of the plant down to the ground. Perfect for repopulating the area with more soloman’s seal plants for next year. The berries are practically on the ground, so many critters would have easy access to them as a food source.

False Soloman's Seal berries almost touch the ground.
False Soloman’s Seal berries almost touch the ground.

8 thoughts on “Red Berries – Star Magnolia and False Soloman’s Seal”

  1. Seeing berries for the first time on my magnolia tree/shrub which I have had since 2002. It also has the furry buds for next year’s flowers. It is about six feet tall also. Very surprised!

  2. Hey Karen,
    That’s the feeling I had when I first saw some red berries on our Star Magnolia. I was so surprised for some reason. I suppose that birds will enjoy them at some time.
    Thanks for sharing!

  3. Have 2 magnolias in ourfront yard 30 to 40 ft. Covered with red berried seed pods on colonels is. Ga. First time seeing the red berries that i know of 2yrs usually just the huge white flowers. They are really pretty

  4. That’s great, Scott!

    The pollinators, beetles for magnolias, must have been around at the right time to finally pollinate those big pretty flowers. Some years the weather doesn’t cooperate to bring the pollinators to the right place at the right time.

    Glad you got to see them. Very pretty indeed!

  5. Hi Scott…are you saying the wood storks weren’t there before the hurricane Irma hit? I suppose their habitat was a somehow degraded and they had to move on. I wonder if they’ll stay?

    Up here in PA we’ve been wondering if pythons have been spread all over Florida.

  6. Thanks for the info about red berries on my star magnolia. Our bush is about 12 yrs old and this is the first time we’ve seen the berries. I was worried that something was wrong with it. Relieved to know otherwise.

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