Southern magnolia is an aristocrat of trees. It grows as a native throughout the lower South, is widely adaptable to a variety of soils, and has few pest problems. With glossy evergreen foliage and large white fragrant blossoms in spring, it truly is one of the most handsome and durable native trees for Southern landscapes. The largest privately planted grove of these trees are located at Milky Way Farm (Mars candy family) in Southern Tennessee.
1. The Silviculture of Southern Magnolia
Steve Nix
Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), also called evergreen magnolia, bull-bay, big-laurel, or large-flower magnolia, has large fragrant white flowers and evergreen leaves that make it one of the most splendid of forest trees and a very popular ornamental that has been planted around the world. This moderately fast-growing medium-sized tree grows best on rich, moist, well-drained soils of the bottoms and low uplands of the Coastal Plains of Southeastern United States.
2. The Images of Southern Magnolia
Steve Nix
Forestryimages.org provides several images of parts of Southern magnolia. The tree is a hardwood and the lineal taxonomy is Magnoliopsida > Magnoliales > Magnoliaceae > Magnolia grandiflora L. Southern magnolia is also commonly called evergreen magnolia, bull-bay, big-laurel, or large-flower magnolia.
3. The Range of Southern Magnolia
USFS
The range of southern magnolia extends from eastern North Carolina, south along the Atlantic Coast to the Peace River in central Florida, then westward through roughly the southern half of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and across Louisiana into southeast Texas. It is most prevalent in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
4. Southern Magnolia at Virginia Tech
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, oval to elliptical, 5 to 8 inches long, pinnately veined, entire margin, very thick almost plastic-like, waxy/shiny dark green above, paler with rusty fuzz below.Twig: Stout, with white to rusty tomentum and a long (1 to 1 1/2 inches) silky white to rusty red terminal bud.
