I was visiting my daughter in Charlotte, North Carolina. While running round her apartment building I saw what appeared to be a seed pods hanging from a barren tree. I am sure they are seeds pods but not aware of what kind of plant they come from. See the attached pictures of the black seed pods. Some seeds are bursting from the pod itself. Can anyone identify what the plant is? If not I can take a picture of the tree itself. It looks like a small crape myrtle tree. Thank you Carl
With that shape and hanging down possibly M. sieboldii - unless the fruits were bent down due to aging and deterioration. If Oyama magnolia the tree (or bush) should have had a low forking, vase-like branching pattern with tan or pale brown twigs.
