Magnolia virginiana
Common name: Sweet Bay Magnolia
A magnolia that stays green (somewhat anyway) in winter here in Chicago? Craziness! It is true, though. We'd recommend that you plant it on sites that have a nice Eastern exposure or sunny protected cove in yards and gardens. This will keep it from the harms of the Chicago winters. The foliage is a glossy green with whitish undersides that we've yet to see a harsh blemish or pest on. The flowers are white and saucer-sized. (They remind me of white tea cups on a green table.) They can be showy once the tree gets large enough to produce larger numbers of them, but you'll notice the scent with just a few. The bark is smooth and gray. It does not like compacted soils and tends to favor richer soils (nice black stuff). Grows much faster than you might think.
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Plant Details
Plant type
Tree
Soil type
Mesic (Not too Wet Not too Dry)
Light exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun / Part Shade
Bloom period
Late Spring
Urban environment
Uncompacted Urban Soils, Requires Protected Site
Habitat
Savannas, Woodlands
Growth form
Shrubby/Clump, Single trunk
Growth rate
Slow
Flower color
White
Fall color
Orange Yellow
Size
- Mature height
- 25 Feet
- Mature width
- 15 Feet
- Max height
- 40 Feet
- Max width
- 25 Feet
Additional information
Retains leaves in winter