Magnolia

Magnolia is a large and ancient genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is therorized that this genus preceded the appearance of bees and the flowers evolved to encourage pollination by beetles. As a result, the carpels of Magnolia flowers are tough, to avoid damage by eating and crawling beetles. Magnolia trees are foud in east and southeast Asia, in eastern North America, Central America, the West Indies, and some species in South America. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol.

There are many different species and I am not sure which is that of this tree. Since its home is here in Miami, I would venture that this is a Magnolia grandiflora aka Southern magnolia. It has large snow white flowers. But this could also be Magnolia stellata, which bears snow white large flowers in early summer. If you look closely, you can see a few flowers in this tree. This is not my tree, but I have one similar and smaller that also flowers about this time of the year.