The Cucumber Tree of Steam Mill Road

I was delighted to find, walking in the midst of a million orange brown leaves fallen on the floor of the woods, one at my feet that was distinct. Larger than my hand, its shape was one I had never seen before, though I had spent decades wandering among the trees of the northeastern hills.

The leaf had come from the tree right in front of me, which had bark quite similar to that of the more common black walnut tree. Yet, this was no walnut. It was a magnolia, the largest magnolia species native to North America. Before this morning, I did not even know that it existed.

Magnolia acuminate is commonly referred to as the blue magnolia, or more evocatively, as the cucumber tree, although it does not grow cucumbers, and is not blue.

The social networks of the temperate northeastern biota are such that these trees do not grow in groves, but seed themselves sparsely amongst populations of other kinds of trees. Somehow, they persist though their inconspicuous nature.

Turning around to mark the place to return in a time of spring flowers and fresh green shoots, I found the distinctive landmark of a fallen oak. The irregular destruction of death crashing down from the canopy tells me more about where I stand than the conforming pressures of life.