Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)
The bigleaf magnolia is perhaps the most striking understory tree in our Eastern forests. This big leaved beauty fits gracefully into a wide variety of settings and is equally at home in a large front yard or a university campus. Its creamy-white flowers are the largest flowers native to North America. They have a spread of 8 to 10 inches and are wonderfully fragrant. The flowers mature to become attractive red fruits that are about 3 inches long. This magnolia typically grows 30 to 40 feet high, but can be taller in the right conditions. The tremendous leaves for which this tree is known are bright green on top and gray below. Its native range extends from Ohio to Florida (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8).
A tribute to Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, by Dr. Larry Mellichamp, Director Emeritus, UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens
Dr. Jeffrey Meyer (1938 – 2020) was a longtime friend of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens. Dr. Meyer was a faculty of Religious Studies at UNCC since 1973. He was always curious about nature and took several of our University and certificate botany courses. He signed up for field botany and completed the course including the final exam so that he could experience it as a student. Jeff was a member of the Gardens Board of Advisors for several years and was instrumental in helping design and present our Asian Garden at its dedication in 2011. Jeff wrote the text for a brochure and the information sign at the Asian Garden entrance. He was interested in the holistic person and helped interpret the garden as more than a plant collection, but a synergism of people, nature and ideas. He was a kind and gentle man, and his positive outlook was an inspiration. He always thought the Gardens was a very important part of the University.
CLAS mourns death of Religious Studies professor emeritus, by Lynn Roberson, Communications Director, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, UNC Charlotte
Jeffrey Meyer, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Religious Studies, died at his Davidson home on Dec. 17 at the age of 82. He retired from UNC Charlotte in 2008 after teaching in the department for 35 years, with a focus on Asian religions. He also served as chair of the Department of Religious Studies from 1992 to 1998.
“Jeff was the epitome of an outstanding professor: a master teacher, a nationally recognized scholar, and a colleague who made major contributions to the development of international studies at the University,” a former chair of the department said. Others in the department described him as a wonderful teacher, colleague, and human being.
A celebration of Meyer’s life will be held at a later time. The family has indicated that memorials may be given to the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens or Charlotte Friends Meeting.
In an interview, Meyer described where he has found joy in life, including exploration and travel, learning about nature (in the manner of poet Mary Oliver) and exploring foreign lands and people. “I’ve spent, for example, about three years of my life in Asia, mostly China and Taiwan, amazed and intrigued at times at how different these cultures are from my own, and at other times marveling at how much alike all of us are, from the east or west, as human beings,” he said.
Meyer’s scholarship and teaching focused on Daoism and Buddhism, drawing from his proficiency in ancient and contemporary Chinese. He was honored and recognized for his work, including his selection to receive UNC Charlotte’s Faculty International Education Award in 2005. He also taught for a year at Kingston University in London and for a semester at Beijing Normal University, furthering his scholarship and sharing his expertise.
His books include “Myths in Stone: Religious Dimensions of Washington, D.C.” (University of California Press) and “The Dragons of Tiananmen: Beijing as a Sacred City” (University of South Carolina Press). In retirement, Meyer turned his writing interests to fiction. His first novel, “A Call to China,” published in 2016, won the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for excellence. His second novel, “Crooked Lines,” was published in fall 2020.
Meyer earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago, where he studied the history of religions. He also earned a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Dayton and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Franciscan Monastery at Duns Scotus College.
