Sweetbay Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5b-10b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Large Shrub or Tree
Height at Maturity: 15-20′ in North, 35-60 feet or more in the deep South
Width at Maturity: 10-15′ in North, 20-35′ feet in deep South
Spacing: 6-8′ in North and 10-15′ in South for privacy screens; 20′ in North or 40 feet in South for space between trees
Growth Habit / Form: Upright
Flower Color: Creamy White
Flower Size: 3″ diameter
Flowering Period: Mid Spring, Early Summer
Flower Type: Single, Cup-shaped
Fragrant Flowers: Yes – Sweet lemony fragrance!
Foliage Color: Dark Green, Silvery undersides
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, Low when established
Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist
Soil pH: 5.5 – 7 (Acid to Neutral)
Maintenance / Care: Low
Attracts: Visual Attention, Birds
Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Heat, Humidity, Insect
Description
The Sweetbay Magnolia is a magnificent North American native evergreen tree that produces sweetly fragrant cup-shaped flowers with white petals from mid-spring to early summer and then sporadically throughout summer. Small, cone-like fruits with showy bright red seeds are displayed in fall. Elongated, large and glossy green leaves with silvery undersides provide a lush, tropical effect in the landscape. Sweet Bay Magnolia has the ability to maintain a straight central trunk, which allows it to be grown full to the ground or lower branches can be removed to form a very attractive tree with a visible trunk. Will tolerate somewhat boggy soils.
Note: In the northern part of its growing range (USDA Zones 5-7) the Sweetbay Magnolia typically grows as a 15 to 20 feet tall and wide large shrub or tree. In the deep South (USDA Zones 8-10) it is apt to be more tree-like growing from 35 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 35 feet wide.
Also Note: Sweetbay Magnolia is evergreen in the South (USDA Zones 7-10) and semi deciduous to deciduous in the North (USDA Zones 5-6)
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing up to 40 feet tall with a spread of 20 feet or more, the Sweetbay Magnolia is ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings, or in straight or staggered rows in privacy screen plantings or to frame the corners of tall homes and other buildings. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, North American Native gardens, white theme gardens, and wildlife gardens.
Suggested Spacing: 8′ in North and 10-15′ in South for privacy screens; 20′ in North or 40′ apart in South for space between trees
Growing Preferences
The Sweetbay Magnolia is very easy to grow in a most any moist but well-drained to boggy soil of average or better fertility, even clay-based soils, and full sun or part shade. No pruning necessary.
Note: Find helpful advice from our experts under the Planting & Care tab above on desktop monitors or below on mobile phones.
Plant Long & Prosper!
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This tree was a gift for my mom on Mother’s Day. I ordered the 3-4 foot tree and when it arrived my mom said it was beautiful!————————————————————-Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope your Mom enjoys it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Excellent customer service. The trees were in healthy, beautiful condition. Well packaged and larger than I expected. They looked like trees! I know that sounds odd, but I have ordered from a competitor in the past and they looked like twigs. We planted them within two days and they are already sprouting new growth. Very happy and would highly recommend Wilson bros.————————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Its beautiful!!!!————————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
The tree arrived healthy and shipped quickly. It was planted within a week and is thriving! So glad we bought from Wilson Bros!———————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I’ve bought plants online before from different vendors and received bare root plants that weren’t worth my time planting. So, I was nervous about ordering a tree online. The tree came very quickly, shipped in a very sturdy box, and was packed very securely. The tree itself is so healthy! It stood just over 5 feet, leaves are nice and green, and a large well wrapped root ball. I picked this species because it’s supposed to do well in swampy areas and it looks like it’s thriving. I can wait to watch it grow!
I highly recommend this company!
My only criticism is I wish the directions were included in the box. I had to look them up on the website and it would have been easier if they were already provided.——————————————So sorry no instructios were included, we usually provide them with every plant. But we are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I highly recommend this company!
My only criticism is I wish the directions were included in the box. I had to look them up on the website and it would have been easier if they were already provided.——————————————So sorry no instructios were included, we usually provide them with every plant. But we are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I ordered two 5 gallon pots, they arrived in such a timely manner and were very well packaged! Truly exceeded my expectations. The trees were in such great condition, with no damage and a lot of growth/fullness. I am so excited to watch these grow in my yard… It arrived with a lot of helpful information from the seller, and their website listed everything I needed to know for optimal planting etc. Would definitely buy from here again. Thank you!—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I ordered 3 of the five gallon about a month ago. They went out of stock immediately after. They arrived extremely well packed between 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet. They looked really good and are doing well in Delaware about 3 1/2 weeks later. I would highly recommend.























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