Magnolia virginiana L.

Sweet Bay Magnolia

Tree

Perennial

Vascular

Sweet Bay Magnolia is a native tree or shrub in the Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae). It can be found throughout most of Alabama. Sweet Bay Magnolia grows along streams and rivers, in seeps, in bogs, in swamps, on hardwood floodplains, and in pine savannas. In our area, it is typically an evergreen or tardily deciduous tree reaching heights of 60-90 feet. Trees are often multi-trunked. In colder climates, it is often a multi-trunked deciduous shrub. The bark is light gray or tan and smooth. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, leathery, elliptic to obovate in outline, with entire margins. The leaves are dark green above and silver-gray or white glaucous below. The upper surface of the leaf is glabrous and the lower surface is glabrous or pubescent. The fragrant flowers are solitary and terminal. Each flower has 6-15 creamy white tepals. These become yellowish before falling. The fruit is a cone-like aggregate of follicles (follicetum). The follicetum is ellipsoid to globose in shape, becoming pink or red as the seed mature. The seed are lenticular in shape and covered with a red or orange oily aril. Sweet Bay Magnolia is commonly available from nurseries. In prefers a moist soil in full sun, but will grow on drier sites. Plants can be pruned to keep them shrubby. Several cultivars are available including: “Jim Wilson” or “Moonglow” which is more evergreen in colder climates and has slightly larger flowers; “Greenbay” or “Green Shadow” with very large flowers; “Sweet Thing” is a dwarf form reaching only 10-12 feet and suitable for growing in containers; “Ned’s Northern Belle” a cold hardy evergreen form; and “Mardi Gras” which has variegated foliage.--A. Diamond

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Native FACW+ (NWPL)

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