Sweetbay Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana
Common Names
Sweetbay Magnolia, Swamp Magnolia, Laurel Magnolia, Swamp-Bay, White-Bay
Summary
Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a North American native that grows as a small to medium tree or large shrub in the southeastern United States, often multi‑trunked in cooler northern areas or single‑trunked and evergreen in milder southern climates, typically 10–35 ft tall and wide in the North and up to 60 ft tall in the South; leaves are 4–6 inches long, glossy dark green above with a silvery underside, and fragrant creamy white flowers are 2–3 inches across with 9–12 petals, blooming in spring to early summer, followed by cone‑like fruits with bright red seeds; bark is smooth and gray, and the plant favors wet, acidic soils in swamps, lowlands, or along streams.
It tolerates full sun to partial shade and consistently moist, acidic soils, including swampy sites, and is hardy in USDA zones 5–10; it serves as a specimen or screen plant near ponds or woodland margins and provides wildlife value as a larval host for swallowtail butterflies, with seeds eaten by birds and small mammals. Propagation is possible from seed or semi‑hardwood cuttings, and pruning is minimal after flowering to maintain shape.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
10-35 feet
Spread
10-35 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5-10
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade, tolerates Full Sun to Partial Shade
Soil Type
Moist, acidic soil
Soil Drainage
Moist, well-drained soil
Soil pH
5.5-6.5, slightly acidic soil
Bloom Color
Creamy white
Bloom Time
Spring (May–June).
Foliage Color
Dark green on the upper surface with silvery undersides.
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Other (climate-dependent: deciduous in northern ranges, evergreen or semi-evergreen in milder southern ranges)
Growth Rate
Moderately fast-growing.
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Layering, Cuttings, Grafting, Root sprouts
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts butterflies, other pollinators, and birds