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Magnolia virginiana var. virginiana

Sweetbay Magnolia

Plant Type:

TREES

Magnolia virginiana var. virginiana – These are cuttings from plants that we grew from seed which I collected from an old and extra-hardy specimen of Sweetbay Magnolia on the UConn campus in Storrs. It has all the fine attributes of other hardy stock including long bloom season with lemony-scented flowers and attractive foliage except it may not be quite as evergreen as ‘Henry Hicks’. Site it in moist, fertile soil in part to full sun. Northern gardeners: spring planting is strongly advised.


Height:

10-20 ft

Spread:

10-20 ft

Colors:

White

Zone:

5 to 9
What is my hardiness zone?

Characteristics and Attributes for Magnolia virginiana var. virginiana

Season of Interest (Flowering)

  • Summer

Season of Interest (Foliage)

  • Spring / Summer / Autumn

Nature Attraction

  • Honey Bees & Native Bees
  • Deer Resistant

Light

  • Morning Sun / Afternoon Shade
  • Dappled Shade

Attributes

  • Alee
  • Fragrant
  • Specimen

Growth Rate in the Garden

  • Medium

Soil

  • Fertile
  • Organic
  • Moist

Origins

  • Eastern U.S.

Propagated By

  • Cutting Grown

Genus Overview: Magnolia

Common Name: Magnolia

The Magnolias are one of the earliest known flowering plants to establish themselves on our beautiful planet. Much breeding continues and the cultivar list is expanding with some smaller sizes and new flower colors. Many are typical tree forms while some tend to be multi-stemmed – more like huge shrubs than single-stemmed trees. Most are spring blooming – some early, others later after danger of frost has passed in the north. A few of these will provide some recurrence of bloom during the summer. A handful bloom in summer. Many emit wonderful fragrance. The foliage is often large, bold and paddle-shaped, looking attractive in summer; a handful of species’ leaves are so large that they are reminiscent of banana foliage. Some seasons they develop gold to golden brown autumn color before the leaves drop. It’s hard for me to think of a landscape without one or more included in the mix. All prefer fertile deep loam with plenty of organic matter and moist soils – some are even content in relatively wet conditions. Magnolias should be sited in full to half sun exposures. All our selections are cutting grown, on their own wood – they are not grafted. Some are much easier to produce on their own wood than others; some are quite recalcitrant. In that, we may not always have certain plants available or available in great numbers. Spring planting is recommended for magnolias especially up north. Cutting grown.