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Sweetbay Magnolia

Magnolia virginiana

Other common name(s):

Sweetbay, Southern Sweetbay, Swampbay, Swamp Magnolia, Sweet Magnolia, Small Magnolia, Laurel Magnolia, White Bay, White Laurel, Swamp Laurel, Beaver Tree

Family:

Magnoliaceae (Magnolia Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Flatwoods, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

10
to
20
ft.

Spread

10
to
15
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Poor Drainage

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland, Wetland or Riparian

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Beetles, Birds, Moths

Maintenance

Slow growing, don’t prune. Propagation: Seed. Semi-hardwood cuttings.

Comments

Blooms April-July. Unlike Southern Magnolia (M. grandiflora) which gets huge, Sweetbay is a good size for small yard, can also handle our Houston monsoons. Leaves are thinner with white undersides, turn yellow/brown in winter, are replaced in spring. 4-6 inch white blooms with same lemony fragrance, develop over 3 days. Red seeds on 2″ oval woody cone. Smooth gray bark, usually multi-trunked. Larval Host: Sweetbay Silkmoth, Tiger and Spicebush swallowtail butterflies.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym(s): Magnolia virginiana var. australis, Magnolia virginiana var. parva

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 294. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MAVI2. 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Magnolia+virginiana&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 5) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=14422&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=18070#null

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