Magnolia virginiana

Sweetbay Magnolia

Family:  Magnoliaceae
Zone:  6-9                               Average Size:  30’H x 20’W

Identification: 

-Simple leaf, green above, silvery-white below, sparse in winter
-Small, white flowers 2-3 inches across in late spring, lemon scented
-Usually multiple trunks although occasionally a single trunk
-Smooth, light gray bark

Note:   A native magnolia usually found along sandy streams and ponds in moist, acid soils.  The delicate, lemon scented blossoms are a delight in the late spring and early summer.  Some references refer to the Sweetbay Magnolia as evergreen, but the species usually loose at least half if not all their leaves in winter.  The variety australis is considered evergreen and becoming more widely available in the nursery trade.

Campus Location: Design Building courtyard