Southern magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora 路 Magnoliaceae 路 also Bull bay, Evergreen magnolia
The South's signature evergreen: a dense pyramidal tree (50-80 feet) with huge glossy leaves, rusty brown underneath, and dinner-plate white flowers that perfume the yard in late spring and summer. It casts deep shade, drops thick leathery leaves all year, and is too big for many suburban lots; compact cultivars like Little Gem fit better.
Where it stands
Native
- 馃嚭馃嚫 United States 路 Also native in: MD, VA (USDA PLANTS distribution)source
- 馃嚭馃嚫 AL, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 AR, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 FL, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 GA, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 LA, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 MS, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 NC, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 SC, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 TN, United Statessource
- 馃嚭馃嚫 TX, United States 路 Native to the pineywoods of east Texas; widely planted but not native in Central Texassource
Care
Water deeply and regularly for the first two or three summers and keep a mulch ring; it dislikes drying out. Prune only after flowering, and leave the low limbs if you want to hide the leaf litter. Fertilize with an acid-type fertilizer in spring if leaves yellow. Scale and sooty mold are the usual pests. In Austin it does best on deep soils east of the Balcones Escarpment with extra water.
Benefits
Good for