30 Seeds Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana Tree

Sweetbay Magnolia is a graceful native flowering tree valued for its creamy white blooms and handsome semi-evergreen foliage. It brings an elegant, southern garden feel with fragrant flowers that appear over a long season, followed by ornamental red seed cones that add late-season interest. Its upright to rounded habit and glossy green leaves, silvery beneath, make it a refined choice for lawns, patios, and mixed borders.

Use Sweetbay Magnolia as a specimen tree, in native plantings, or along pond and stream edges where its multi-stemmed form looks natural. The cup-shaped flowers are lightly fragrant and attract pollinators, while the red seeds draw birds. It grows well in moist, rich soils and tolerates wet ground better than many magnolias, making it a versatile landscape tree in suitable climates.

Species: Magnolia virginiana
Type: Deciduous to semi-evergreen flowering tree
Plant_Habit: Upright to rounded, often multi-stemmed
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Moist, rich, acidic, well-drained to wet
Zones: 5-10
Germination: Cold stratify 60-90 days, then sow at 1/4 inch depth
Sowing: Start indoors or in a cold frame; keep evenly moist
Spacing: 15-20 feet apart
Notes: Blooms appear late spring through summer