FNPS Plant Database

Magnolia grandiflora

southern magnolia
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

southern magnolia

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Magnolia grandiflora

Family:

Magnoliaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

50 - 65 ft tall by 15 - 50 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

red,brown

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms late-spring into summer.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Hurricane Wind Resistance, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen tree. Can also be used in a woodland setting.  

Considerations:

Availability:

Big Box Stores, Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Seed

Propagation:

Propagation methods include the use of fresh seed (store in moist, cool area to statify), or semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summer.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Acidic to circum-neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds, Mammals

Beetles are the primary pollinators. The flowers have a hardened carpel to avoid damage by their gnawing mandibles as they feed. The beetles are after the protein-rich pollen. Because the beetles are interesting in pollen and pollen alone, the flowers mature in a way that ensures cross pollination. The male parts mature first and offer said pollen. The female parts of the flower are second to mature. They produce no reward for the beetles but are instead believed to mimic the male parts, ensuring that the beetles will spend some time exploring and thus effectively pollinating the flowers ( In Defense of Plants blog).

Fruits are eaten (and spread) by  squirrels, opossums, and birds including quail, and turkey.

Native Habitats:

Slope forest, dry-mesic to mesic upland hardwood forest.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Wood has been used in cabinetry.

General Comments:

Note: There are cultivars, such as "Little Gem" sold in nurseries that originate from non-Florida stock (Little Gem is a North Carolina tree). Suitability for use in Florida will vary.

Citations:

salt spray tolerance - https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/430/430-031/430-031_pdf.pdf

Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H.; [Technical coordinators] 1990. Silvics of North America: Volume 2. Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook 654 ( https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/1548 ). 



Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Nelson, Gil.  2003.  Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries.



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



University of Tennessee Extension Service.  Desired Ph Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants.    https://extension.tennessee.edu/mtnpi/Documents/handouts/Fertility/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf   accessed 2021.



Watkins, John and Thomas Sheehan.  1975.  Florida Landscapt Plants, Native and Exotic. University Presses of Florida, Gainesville. (light, soil, salt)



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu /).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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