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News > First Lady Michelle Obama brings Magnolia seedling to USDA
First Lady Michelle Obama brings Magnolia seedling to USDA
24th February 2009
The seedling will be planted in the USDA's community garden, part of a larger USDA initiative to grow gardens at their offices around the world. "I'm a big believer in community gardens, both because of their beauty and for their access to providing fresh fruits and vegetables to so many communities across this nation and the world," Mrs. Obama told the crowd of USDA employees. We agree with her! Community gardens have been proven to build social cohesion time and time again - download our Human Wellbeing report for case studies from around the world.
Magnolias are an ancient tree however, which evolved millions of years ago. The magnolia genus was named for Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), a physician to Louis XIV and director of the botanic garden, Jardins des Plantes de l‘Université at Montpelier, founded in 1593. Today, at least 31 species of Magnolia are Critically Endangered, 58 species are Endangered and 23 Vulnerable, according to Red List Categories and Criteria.Download our Red List of Magnoliaceae to find out morePlease help us to conserve threatened Magnolias by supporting BGCI 
Magnolia ImagesOver half the world’s magnolia species are close to extinction in the wild, says a new report from BGCI and Fauna and Flora International. We've gathered some pictures. 
Red List of the MagnoliaceaeThe Red List of the Magnoliaceae, published jointly by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI), through the Global Trees Campaign (GTC), identifies 131 wild magnolias as being in danger of extinction, from a global total of 245 species. 
BGCI's Global Survey of Threatened Magnoliaceae in CultivationIn 2007, BGCI and FFI jointly published The Red List of Magnoliaceae under the partnership of the Global Trees Campaign. The report called for action to ensure that the 89 taxa listed in the report as Critically Endangered or Endangered were conserved. |
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The first lady Michelle Obama visited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week and brought a gift: a seedling from the White House's Jackson magnolia. President Andrew Jackson planted the tree more than 180 years ago, in honour of his wife Rachel - it was one of her favourite trees. The towering magnolia can be seen to the left of the White House portico and even appears on old US$20 notes. 
The Jackson magnolia is actually a specimen of Magnolia grandiflora, also known as the Southern magnolia in the US. With its glossy evergreen leaves and big, fragrant white blossoms, this beautiful native tree is ubiquitous in southern landscapes. The tree occurs naturally along rich, marshy knolls and on the borders of river swamps and ponds. It thrives in hot, humid climates and is now grown all over the world.