The cucumber tree, whose botanical name is magnolia acuminata, is one of the largest magnolias, and one of the most cold-resistant.
It is also known as cucumber magnolia or blue magnolia, and is native to the Appalachian belt, including the Allegheny Plateau and Cumberland Highlands, to western Pennsylvania and New York.
The leaves are pointed at the ends so the scientific name is 'acuminate' which means tapering to a smooth point.
While the name cucumber tree refers to the unripe fruit, which is green and shaped like a small cucumber.
Ref.:
 |  |