Southern Magnolia, Evergreen Magnolia, Loblolly Magnolia, Great Laurel Magnolia, Big Laurel, Bull Bay
A commanding presence in the landscape, Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) is a magnificent, dense evergreen tree with a straight trunk and a pyramidal to rounded crown. Huge, powerfully fragrant, creamy-white flowers, 8 in. across (20 cm), appear at the tips of thick, tough stems in late spring, throughout the summer, and into fall. The cup-shaped blossoms open in the morning and close at night for 2-3 days. They are followed by cone-like seedpods that contain large rose-red seeds. When the pods open, the seeds often hang by silky threads. The evergreen foliage of large, smooth, leathery, oblong-elliptic leaves, 5-10 in. long (12-25 cm), is shiny dark green above and often tan to copper brown underneath. Native to the southeastern United States, Southern Magnolia is relatively fast-growing and pest free. Long-lived, its attractive evergreen leaves and creamy-white fragrant flowers make it a popular ornamental and shade tree worldwide in warm temperate and subtropical regions. Its dried leaves are prized by florists in flower arrangements. Magnolia grandiflora provides shelter and food for many animals, including native birds (doves, woodpeckers, quails, wild turkeys) and small mammals.
| Hardiness |
7 - 10 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
1 - 9 |
| Climate Zones | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2 |
| Plant Type | Trees |
| Plant Family | Magnoliaceae |
| Genus | Magnolia |
| Common names | Evergreen Magnolia, Southern Magnolia, Magnolia |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall Winter |
| Height |
60' - 80' (18.3m - 24.4m) |
| Spread |
30' - 50' (9.1m - 15.2m) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Fragrant, Showy, Evergreen, Fruit & Berries |
| Native Plants | United States, Maryland, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas |
| Attracts | Birds |
| Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
| Hardiness |
7 - 10 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
1 - 9 |
| Climate Zones | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2 |
| Plant Type | Trees |
| Plant Family | Magnoliaceae |
| Genus | Magnolia |
| Common names | Evergreen Magnolia, Southern Magnolia, Magnolia |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall Winter |
| Height |
60' - 80' (18.3m - 24.4m) |
| Spread |
30' - 50' (9.1m - 15.2m) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Fragrant, Showy, Evergreen, Fruit & Berries |
| Native Plants | United States, Maryland, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas |
| Attracts | Birds |
| Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
How many Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
