12 Common Magnolia Species and Basic Care Tips

Often thought of as classic Southern trees and shrubs, magnolia is in fact a remarkably diverse genus that includes many species suited to colder climates as well. Magnolia trees are generally known for their large, leathery leaves and striking white or pink flowers, which appear very early in spring—often before the foliage emerges.

Depending on the species and growing conditions, magnolias may be evergreen or deciduous. Some grow as multi-stemmed shrubs, while others develop into tall, broad, upright trees. In a few cases, their growth habit can even shift with climate and environment. Flowering magnolias are especially prized for their fragrance. Although magnolias are not fast growers, patience is usually rewarded with a spectacular display.

Magnolia Tree Care

Magnolias are not difficult to grow, and among flowering trees and shrubs they are somewhat unusual in their tolerance of partial shade. If you plan to plant one in your yard, the tree will do best in well-drained soil. Magnolias generally do not perform well with “wet feet” in soggy ground. A spring feeding with a slow-release fertilizer is often the best way to encourage flowering.

In general, magnolias prefer acidic soil. If your soil is neutral or alkaline, it can be heavily amended with peat moss before planting to lower the pH. Even after planting, you may need to continue adjusting soil conditions from time to time by mulching with pine needles or another acidic mulch, or by feeding the plant with an acid-forming fertilizer to keep it healthy.

Below are 12 of the most common species, with help for identifying magnolia types and basic growing guidance.

• Anise Magnolia (Magnolia salicifolia)

  Anise magnolia has leaves that resemble those of a willow tree or shrub, though they are broader than willow leaves and not as broad as the typical magnolia leaf. Another common name is willow-leaved magnolia. This deciduous tree produces white flowers with strap-like petals before the leaves unfold in spring. Its fall color is a pleasing golden yellow.

  • Native area: Japan
  • USDA hardiness zones: 6 to 9
  • Height: Up to 30 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)

  Bigleaf magnolia lives up to its name, producing leaves that can grow as long as 32 inches. Like most magnolias, it is normally deciduous, though it may remain evergreen in warmer regions. The flowers, which usually appear in May, can reach 10 inches long and are white with purple bases on the petals.

  • Native area: Southeastern United States, Mexico
  • USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 8
  • Height: 30 to 40 feet; occasionally up to 60 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Ashe’s Magnolia (Magnolia ashei)

  Ashe’s magnolia may grow either as a large shrub or a small tree, depending on how it is pruned. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of bigleaf magnolia, and its leaves can grow up to 2 feet long. The tree was named in honor of William Willard Ashe of the United States Forest Service. Its white flowers have petals up to 1 foot long and bloom after the light green leaves emerge in spring.

  • Native area: Florida
  • USDA hardiness zones: 6 to 9
  • Height: Up to 30 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata)

  The cucumber tree gets its name because its fruit resembles a vegetable. This is the hardiest of the magnolias, though it still has the large glossy leaves—up to 10 inches long—and the broad growth habit associated with classic Southern magnolias. Its greenish, tulip-shaped flowers are much less showy, measuring only about 2 inches across. The fruit that follows turns from green to red as it matures. It can serve well as a shade tree or specimen tree in colder climates, provided you can accept the mess that comes with large leaves.

  • Native area: Appalachian regions of the United States, southern Ontario
  • USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 8
  • Height: 60 to 80 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

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• Lily Magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora)

  Lily magnolia is one of the smaller species, growing as a shrub or small tree. In early spring, before the leaves open, it produces a profusion of lightly fragrant reddish-purple or pink flowers shaped like lilies. A popular cultivar, ‘Nigra,’ is especially known for its richly colored blooms. After flowering, dark green elliptical leaves appear. This species is the parent of the saucer magnolia.

  • Native area: Southwestern China
  • USDA hardiness zones: 7 to 10
  • Height: 8 to 12 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Kobus Magnolia (Magnolia kubos)

  Kobus magnolia is a slow-growing species that shows many of the classic magnolia traits: fragrant white flowers with pink tones that appear before the leaves open, and large, dark green foliage. Also known as Japanese magnolia or northern Japanese magnolia, it is most often planted as a specimen tree where early-season flowers are desired. This species tends to form multiple trunks, but pruning it to a central leader will give it a more traditional tree shape.

  Kobus magnolia is one of the parent species—along with star magnolia—that together produce Loebner magnolia.

  • Native area: Japan, Korea
  • USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 8
  • Height: 25 to 50 feet, occasionally 75 feet on very old trees
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Loebner Magnolia (Magnolia × loebneri)

  Loebner magnolia is a hybrid created by crossing Kobus magnolia with star magnolia. This small tree usually has multiple stems, though a central leader can be developed through pruning. Fragrant pink and white star-shaped flowers, 4 to 6 inches wide, appear in spring before the leaves emerge. The dark green oval leaves are smaller than those of many other magnolias, reaching no more than 5 inches long.

  • Native area: Hybrid plant; no natural range
  • USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 9
  • Height: 20 to 30 feet; occasionally up to 60 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana)

  Created by crossing lily magnolia and Yulan magnolia, saucer magnolia can be either a large multi-stemmed shrub or a small tree. White flowers with pink interiors usually appear in early spring, before the leaves emerge. Many cultivars are available, offering flower colors that range into the purple family. This is the most commonly grown magnolia in the United States.

  • Native area: Hybrid plant; no natural range
  • USDA hardiness zones: 4 to 9
  • Height: 20 to 25 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

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• Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

  When people think of magnolias, or read about them in antebellum Southern novels, the Southern magnolia is probably the tree that comes to mind. Its flower is the state bloom of Louisiana and Mississippi. Southern magnolia is a large evergreen tree that needs plenty of space. The elliptical leaves are large and leathery, up to 10 inches long, and the white flowers that appear from midsummer into early fall can reach 12 inches across. While most magnolias prefer full sun but tolerate a little shade, this is one magnolia that performs best in partial shade.

  • Native area: Southeastern United States
  • USDA hardiness zones: 7 to 9
  • Height: 60 to 80 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata)

  Star magnolia is a small deciduous tree or large shrub that produces white, star-shaped flowers in late winter or early spring, before any other flowering tree and even before most spring bulbs. When possible, plant it in a sheltered location to help protect the blossoms in spring, since the buds are easily damaged by frost.

  • Native area: Japan
  • USDA hardiness zones: 4 to 8
  • Height: 15 to 20 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

  Regionally, this plant may also be called beaver tree, swamp magnolia, or laurel magnolia. In cooler locations, sweetbay magnolia is usually a deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub, while in warmer areas it tends to become an upright tree that remains evergreen. It is an excellent plant for swampy locations or clay soils. The waxy white flowers appear from midsummer to early fall, and the elongated bright green leaves have silvery undersides.

  • Native area: Eastern United States
  • USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 10
  • Height: 10 to 35 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Umbrella Magnolia (Magnolia tripetala)

  Umbrella magnolia is named for its huge, glossy leaves, which can grow up to 24 inches long and 10 inches wide and cluster around the tips of the branches. This is a small, multi-stemmed tree whose native habitat is the understory of Appalachian forests, so it is a plant that does very well in shaded locations. The creamy white flowers, 6 to 10 inches across, appear soon after the leaves emerge in late spring to early summer. Although fragrant, they do not have a particularly sweet scent.

  • Native area: Eastern North America
  • USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 8
  • Height: 15 to 30 feet
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade