A genus of trees with large, chiefly white flowers, and simple, entire, usually large alternate leaves. In the winter the twigs may be recognized by their aromatic odor when bruised. The most important species commercially is Magnolia acuminata, commonly called cucumber tree, which grows in the Appalachian and Ozark mountains. The fruit is red when ripe and resembles a small cucumber in shape. The wood of the magnolia is similar to that of the tulip tree and is rather soft, but it is of such wide natural dimensions that it is valued for furniture, cabinetwork, flooring, and interior finish. Magnolia species occur naturally in a broad belt in the eastern United States and Central America, with a similar region in eastern Asia and the Himalayas. | 
