Sweetbay magnolia
Magnolia virginiana L.
Also called sweetbay magnolia, sweetbay.
Small multi-stem magnolia for wet, acidic soils, with lemony-fragrant flowers through early summer and silvery leaf undersides that flash in wind.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 6–10 m (20–33 ft) tall and 5–8 m (16–26 ft) wide; medium growth, about 25 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the BB-2in install size.
Bloom
Creamy white flowers, May–Jul (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetbay magnolia : May–Jul |
Design notes
- Evergreen in the South, deciduous to semi-evergreen in the North.
- Excellent for rain gardens and poorly drained corners where other small trees fail.
Regions
Native range: Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain from Massachusetts to Florida and Texas.
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Sweetbay magnolia
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.