Sweetbay Magnolia

Magnolia virginiana

The sweetbay magnolia is a semi-evergreen perennial tree with distinctive foliage and flowers.

• Its oval-shaped leaves have blunted tips and grow to about 4 to 6 inches long.
• The tops of the leaves appear leathery with a smooth, shiny surface, while the bottoms are white in color.
• Creamy white flowers bloom during the summer months.

Sweetbay magnolias grow up to 20 feet tall in the Chesapeake Bay region, but can grow up to 90 feet tall in southern portions of the United States.

Where does the sweetbay magnolia grow?

Sweetbay magnolias prefer moist soil, so the tree grows in forested wetlands and seeps and along stream banks. Its range covers the eastern U.S. and the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, including all Chesapeake Bay watershed states except West Virginia.

How does the sweetbay magnolia reproduce?

Sweetbay magnolias produce bundles of dark red seeds in early fall, usually from September to October. These seeds are a source of food for squirrels, rodents and songbirds, which spread the seeds in their scattered droppings. The seeds can then germinate and grow.

Other facts about the sweetbay magnolia:

• Sweetbay magnolia is listed as an endangered species in New York and threatened in Pennsylvania.
• Early colonists referred to magnolias as beavertrees because they used the tree’s fragrant roots as bait in beaver traps.
• Sweetbay magnolia leaves smell spicy when crushed.