Southern Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora

Other Names: Bull Bay, Large Tree Magnolia, Evergreen Southern Magnolia

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-10b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Tree

Height at Maturity: 60-80′

Width at Maturity: 30-50′

Spacing: 20′ for solid hedge; 55’+ for space between trees

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Broad, Conical, Pyramidal

Growth Rate: 12 to 24″ per year

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Large, 8-12″

Flowering Period: Late Spring and sporadically through Summer

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes – extremely fragrant!

Foliage Color: Dark to Medium Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun, Morning Shade with Evening Sun

Water Needs: Average; tolerates a wet soil

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained; tolerates occasional wet or dry soil

Soil pH: 4.5 – 7.5 (Acid to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Butterflies, Beneficial Pollinators, Birds, Visual Attention

Resistances: Cold temperatures (-30F), Deer, Disease, Drought (moderate when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect, Wet Soil (occasional, not standing water)

Description

One of if not the most grand of all North American native flowering trees, the Southern Magnolia is adored for both its foliage and enormous fragrant flowers. It is a large growing tree with a pyramidal form that can add up to 24 inches in height per year reaching a height of 60 to 80 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet wide when all grown up. The tree is densely clothed in glossy, elliptic, rich green evergreen leaves up to 10 inches long. Appearing late spring and sporadically during summer, very large creamy white flowers up to 12 inches across fill the air with a heavenly, lemony sweet aroma typical of other southern magnolias. Handling all the heat and humidity you can give it, and full sun to part shade, the Southern Magnolia makes for a fine specimen or tall privacy screen where space allows in USDA Zones 6a to 10b.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 60 to 80 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet wide over time, the Greenback Magnolia is ideal for use in privacy screen plantings, as a focal point specimen, in groupings or to frame the corners of tall homes and other buildings. Can also be used as espalier, trained to grow flat against a wall) or grown in large planters and containers. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, white theme gardens, native plant gardens, cottage gardens, bog gardens and bird and wildlife gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 8 to 10 feet for solid privacy screens; 22 feet or more for space between trees

See: Privacy Screen Planting Tips & Instructions

Growing Preferences

The Southern Magnolia is very easy to grow in most any average moist but well-drained soil, preferring one that is rich in organic matter. It will tolerate occasionally drought and wet soils, but not standing water. It grows well in full sun, part shade or all-day filtered sun. For best density of foliage and flowering, we suggest 4 hours or more of direct sunlight per day. Very low maintenance and never requires pruning. That said, stray branches can be pruned for shaping purposes or lower branches can be removed to expose the trunk to a desired height.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, feed and water Southern Magnolia trees.

How To Plant & Care For Southern Magnolia Trees

Privacy Screen Design Planting Tips & Instructions

Plant Long & Prosper!

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