Chris Nelson wrote:
I live in northern New York State (just north of Albany) and my
magnolia (a M. soulangeana or M. stellata, I think; it has pink and
white flowers in the spring) is dropping strange looking pods. They
look like pickles or maybe the bumpy tip of an asparagus. They're
about 2-3" long and 1/2" in diameter. I don't remember seeing any
last year (my first year in this house). What are they?

They are the pods. I advise you not to fall asleep near one...

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com