Ice on a Saucer Magnolia

March 24, 2009

032409_ice

Photographer: Steve Fisk, Steve’s Web Site
Summary Author: Steve Fisk, Jim Foster

The photo above showing ice coating a splendid Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x Soulangiana) was taken in Mahopac, New York. This robust specimen is about 15 ft (4.5 m) high and is just as wide. Fortunately, it wasn’t damaged during this ice storm, but a pair of white pines both over 100 feet tall (30 m) on my property lost several branches that were 20 ft (6 m) long. The very high surface area of ice accumulating over the entire circumference of limbs, and even over the large surfaces of leaves and needles, is often too much of a load for the trees to bear, especially when ice exceeds a thickness of about one half inch (~1 cm). Photo taken on January 7, 2009.