Magnolia trees are beautiful plants known for their stunning flowers and easy care. There are many different types of magnolias that you can grow in your garden. Each type has its own unique features, like the color, size, and shape of the leaves.
Some popular types include the Southern magnolia with its large white flowers, the Saucer magnolia with pink and white blossoms, and the Star magnolia with star-shaped white flowers. Whether you prefer big flowers or delicate petals, there's a magnolia tree that can brighten up your yard and bring joy to everyone who sees it.
The Magnolia tree is a flowering plant known for its large, showy flowers and glossy green leaves. They belong to the genus Magnolia, which includes both deciduous and evergreen species.
They are native to East Asia and the Americas, primarily found in regions with mild climates. Although they are primarily outdoor plants, some smaller varieties, such as 'Little Gem', 'Teddy Bear', and 'Jane', can be grown in containers and brought indoors temporarily.
What does the tree look like?
The tree can be divided into different parts, which demonstrate the look of the tree. They are:
Leaves: The leaves are generally large and shiny, ranging from elliptical to obovate, depending on the species.
Flowers: The flowers are often large, fragrant, and bowl-shaped, appearing in various colors such as white, pink, purple, and yellow.
Fruit: After flowering, magnolia trees produce cone-like fruits containing bright red seeds.
There are over 200 species of magnolia trees, categorized into deciduous and evergreen types. They include iconic species like Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) and Magnolia stellata (Star Magnolia).
Additionally, there are numerous cultivars developed for specific traits such as flower color, size, and cold hardiness, making magnolias versatile choices for various climates and landscapes.
Here are 15 types of Magnolia, with their specific characteristics and information:
1. Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
The southern magnolia tree is a tall, evergreen magnolia that can reach heights of 80 feet and spread about 40 feet wide. Its large, dark-green leaves can grow up to 20 cm long and 12 cm wide. The tree blooms with huge, fragrant white flowers that can reach up to 30 cm in diameter.
They are often seen near water bodies and swamps, thriving in moist, rich soils along streams and in the Coastal Plain. Due to its towering height and massive flowers, this tree is admired as a symbol of grandeur.
The Star Magnolia is a small, slow-growing deciduous tree renowned for its beautiful white flowers that blossom from late winter to early spring, even before their leaves appear.
This tree is closely related to the Kobushi magnolia and is prized for its compact size and the star-shaped white flowers that bloom early in the season.
Typically, the star magnolia reaches heights of 15 to 20 feet and spreads 10 to 15 feet wide, forming a rounded crown and often cultivated into a large pyramidal shape.
Native To: East Asia
USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 10
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
3. Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana)
This deciduous tree or large shrub from the Magnolia family is a result of crossing Magnolia denudata and Magnolia liliiflora. It typically reaches heights between 15 and 33 feet and spreads 15 to 25 feet wide.
The bark is smooth and gray, emitting a fragrant scent when crushed. Its obovate leaves are mid-green and transition to golden brown in the autumn before falling. The tree's striking flowers are large and goblet-shaped, showcasing hues of white with pink and purple tones.
These deciduous trees are known for their vibrant yellow flowers that bloom in the spring, often before the foliage emerges. One of the most popular yellow magnolias is the 'Yellow Bird' variety, which is a hybrid of M. acuminata and M. denudata.
This tree grows up to 7 meters tall and has cup-shaped, yellow flowers that open gradually in late April. Another notable variety is 'Judy Zuk', which has tulip-shaped, apricot-yellow flowers with a fruity fragrance.
Native To: China
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
5. Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata)
Also known as the blue magnolia, the cucumber tree produces fragrant, yellowish-green, tulip-shaped flowers that bloom from late spring to early summer.
The tree gets its name from its cucumber-like fruits, which turn from green to red and reveal small red seeds in late summer. It is one of the hardest magnolias, tolerating temperatures as low as -20 °C (-4 °F).
There are several cultivars of the cucumber tree, such as 'Butterflies', 'Elizabeth', 'Ellen', and 'Yellow Fever', which offer different flower colors and sizes.
The Sweetbay magnolia has flowers with a strong, lemony fragrance that can be smelled from afar. Depending on the climate, it can be either evergreen, retaining its leaves in milder winters, or semi-evergreen, with leaves turning yellow or brown and falling off in colder climates.
Additionally, the tree produces eye-catching, cone-like fruits with bright red seeds, adding to its appeal. The tree is an important food source for various animals, including birds, squirrels, deer, and beavers.
Native To: Southeastern United States
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 10
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
7. Anise Magnolia (Magnolia salicifolia)
This Japanese magnolia has flowers, leaves, and bark that release a lemon or anise fragrance when crushed. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves with white undersides give it a finer texture than other magnolias. It blooms in early spring with fragrant white flowers that appear before the leaves.
This tree is also the parent of several hybrid magnolias, such as the well-known Magnolia x kewensis 'Wada's Memory'. This medium-sized deciduous tree reaches 30–50 feet in height and width, making it a versatile choice for gardens.
Native To: Japan
USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 9
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun to part shade
8. Bracken's Brown Magnolia (Magnolia brackenridgei)
This is one of the best Southern Magnolia cultivars, admired for its large, fragrant white flowers and glossy leaves with a distinctive coppery-brown underside.
The dark green, leathery leaves with a cinnamon-brown underside are particularly striking. In late spring and sporadically through the summer, the tree produces huge, waxy, fragrant white flowers, 5-8 inches in diameter.
The dense, uniform growth habit and pyramidal shape of this magnolia flower types make it an excellent choice for screening or as a specimen tree.
Native To: Philippines
USDA Growing Zone: 7 to 10
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
9. Little Gem Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem')
The Little Gem Magnolia is a smaller variety that grows up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide, making it perfect for compact gardens and spaces. Its evergreen leaves are glossy dark green on top and have a brown, felt-like underside, offering year-round foliage with a striking contrast.
The tree produces large, fragrant white flowers that are 4 inches wide, appearing at the ends of sturdy stems from late spring to mid-summer, adding a pleasant scent to the garden.
Native To: Southeastern United States
USDA Growing Zone: 7 to 9
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
10. Alexandrina Magnolia (Magnolia x loebneri 'Alexandrina')
This magnolia tree type is a hybrid of Magnolia denudata and Magnolia liliiflora, created in the early 19th century. It grows to 20–25 feet tall and spreads 15–25 feet wide, featuring large, cup-shaped flowers that are white with shades of pink and purple.
The flowers bloom from late winter to early spring. This pink magnolia is easy to grow and can thrive in various soil conditions, making it a popular choice for landscaping and garden design.
Native To: Hybrid plant; does not occur naturally
USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
11. Lily Magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora)
It is a small deciduous magnolia tree originating from southwest China, although it has been widely cultivated in Japan, Europe, and North America, among other regions.
It is renowned for its large, fragrant purple flowers that blossom in early spring, preceding the emergence of leaf buds. This tree typically reaches heights of up to 4 meters and spreads to about 3 meters wide, boasting medium green leaves and a rounded shape.
Among magnolia types, this magnolia is highly esteemed as an ornamental plant. It is also referred to as Mulan magnolia, purple magnolia, and tulip magnolia.
Among the different types of magnolia trees, the Kobus Magnolia is a slow-growing species native to Japan and Korea. It is renowned for its fragrant white flowers, tinged with pink, that bloom before the leaves emerge, creating a captivating sight.
Typically reaching heights of 25 to 50 feet and spreading up to 10 meters wide, it features large, dark-green leaves measuring 8 to 15 cm long. It is one of the parent species, along with the Star Magnolia, responsible for producing the Loebner Magnolia, a popular hybrid celebrated for its aromatic star-shaped flowers.
Among the types of magnolias, this one can be shaped into a small tree or grown as a large oval or rounded shrub, boasting a spreading, rounded crown. Its foliage is deciduous, typically sporting leaves measuring 4-6 inches long and 2-3 inches wide.
The most striking feature of this tree is its large, star-shaped flowers, which are white with a hint of pink and emit a sweet fragrance. This tree is adaptable to various conditions, including partial shade and different soil types.
The Umbrella Magnolia is a small tree, often with multiple trunks, typically reaching heights of 30 feet, though it can grow as tall as 45 feet. It has a spreading crown and smooth grey bark. The leaves are clustered at the branch tips, resembling an umbrella, which gives the tree its name.
Despite its unique appearance, the tree's flowers are known for their unpleasant odor, but this scent is not harmful and dissipates quickly, posing minimal concern in garden settings.
It is a compact variation of the Sweetbay Magnolia, admired for its dense growth habit. This tree is deciduous to semi-evergreen and features glossy leaves resembling laurel, with silvery, fuzzy undersides.
It blooms with fragrant, creamy white flowers in mid-spring, which attract various pollinators and wildlife. It serves as a host plant for butterfly larvae like the Spicebush Swallowtail and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
The Australis Magnolia also provides shelter during harsh weather and winter and is resilient to fire in landscaping.
