unknown shrub


While having lunch with my husband today, I noticed out the window of the restaurant, a large flowering shrub growing on the edge of a small ravine (Blue Ravine) which was all intertwined with flowering wild blackberry.  On closer inspection, the 7 ft.+ shrub has opposite leaves, dark green 3-4 inches long.  They are stiffly hairy underneath.  The stems are squarish.  The amazing thing is the 2-1/2 in. flowers that were generously scattered about the shrub.  They look for all the world to be related to Magnolia stellata, but they are carried among the leaves and are the most unusual shading.  The petals, or I suspect actually sepals, are wine red with their tips painted pink in a V pattern, as though someone had painted each tip to look like ribbon trimming!  They are narrow and in whorls around and around with the row closest to the many stamens cupped over the sexual parts.  It was a plant I hadn't seen before and it seemed to be growing in a place where no cultivation had been done!  Very curious.  This must be familiar to someone.  Do solve my mystery, please!
 
Karrie Reid
Folsom Foothill Gardener
Zone 9


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