Magnolia grandiflora is the only evergreen tree in the Magnoliaceae (magnolia) family. It is native to the southeastern United States, from Virginia to Central Florida, and Texas. It is also grown in parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America as well as warmer parts of Europe and Asia. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin words ‘grandis’: big and ‘flor’: flower. The genus name Magnolia honors Pierre Magnol, a French botanist. The plant is commonly known Southern Magnolia, a name derived from its range in the Southern United States.  It is the State Flower of both Mississippi and Louisiana.

Magnolia grandiflora typically has a single stem, grows to 20-25 meters tall with a pyramidal to rounded crown, spread to 6-12 meters wide. The leaves are simple and broadly ovate, 12–20 cm long and 6–12 cm, with smooth margins. The large, showy, lemon scented flowers are white, up to 30 cm across. Flowers have 6 to 12 petals with a waxy texture, emerging from the tips of twigs on mature trees in late spring with sparse continued flowering throughout the summer. Flowering is followed by the spherical cone-like fruiting clusters that mature in late summer to early fall.  10 cm fruit that opens in due course to reveal the large bright red seeds.

Southern Magnolia can produce seed by 10 years of age, although peak seed production is achieved closer to 25 years of age. It prefers organically rich, well-drained soil within full sun to partial shade. When grown as an ornamental, it maintains heavily leaved limbs almost to the ground. Tolerates high moisture levels but is intolerant to overly wet or swampy soils and prolonged flooding. Leaf drops in both fall and spring. It is generally intolerant of very dry and very wet soil, also many urban pollutants. It is hardy up to -15 ˚C, some cultivars reported hardy temperatures as low as −21 °C. Plants may become somewhat deciduous in hard winters. The leaves have a waxy coating that makes them is notably heat, wind, salt and drought tolerant by the standards of large-leaved evergreens.

Two extremes of Magnolia grandiflora are known, with leaves pale yellow underneath and with leaves brown underneath. The brown varieties are claimed to be more cold hardier than the pale yellow varieties. Over 150 cultivars have been developed and named, although around 40 or less of these are commercially propagated and sold. Plant propagated by seed or by cuttings.

Use in Landscape: Southern Magnolia is a very popular ornamental tree throughout the world. Grown for its attractive, shiny green leaves and extremely ornamental, fragrant flowers. It is recommended for seashore plantings in areas that are windy but have little salt spray. Specimen or accent for lawns or other open areas where its ultimate size can be accommodated. Can be grouped to form an evergreen screen. It may be espaliered against walls, which improves its frost hardiness.

Magnolia grandiflora has been reported to have beneficial effects on several ailments, including high blood pressure, heart disturbances, dyspnea, abdominal discomfort, muscle spasm, infertility, and epilepsy. The timber is hard and heavy, and has been used commercially to make furniture, boxes, pallets, venetian blinds, doors and veneer.

United States cultivation

 Some cultivars have been found to be more cold hardy, they include:

1. grandiflora‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ at the Morris Arboretum (Philadelphia, US)

• ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ was developed by Ray Bracken of Easley, South Carolina, in the late 1960s This cultivar grows in a dense and compact pattern, with narrow, medium-sized, glossy leaves. Flowers measure 13–15 cm.
• ‘Edith Bogue’ has been known to have only minor spotting and margin burn on the leaf in temperatures as low as −21 °C. With a vigorous classic pyramidal shape, this cultivar grows to 35 ft with a 15-ft spread. The leaves are large and deep green but lack the brown indumentumon their undersides which make other cultivars so distinctive.
• ‘Angustifolia’, developed in France in 1825, has narrow, spear-shaped leaves 20 cm (7.9 in) long by 11 cm (4.3 in) wide, as its name suggests.^[29]
• ‘Exmouth’ was developed in the early 18th century by John Colliton in Devon. It is notable for its huge flowers, with up to 20 petals, and vigorous growth. Erect in habit, it is often planted against walls. The leaves are green above and brownish underneath.^[31]The flowers are very fragrant and the leaves are narrow and leathery.^[32]
• ‘Goliath’ was developed by Caledonia Nurseries of Guernsey, and has a bushier habit and globular flowers of up to 30 cm diameter. Long-flowering, it has oval leaves which lack the brownish hair underneath.^[31]
• ‘Little Gem’, a dwarf cultivar, is grown in more moderate climates, it is a slower-growing form with a columnar shape which reaches around 4.25 m high and 1.2 m wide. Flowering heavily over an extended period in warmer climate, it bears medium-sized, cup-shaped flowers, and has elliptic leaves 12.5 cm long by 5 cm wide.
• ‘Ferruginea’ has dark-green leaves with rust-brown undersides. ‘Southern Charm’ is a dwarf form that grows into a bushy shrub with a pyramidal shape up to 20–25 ft high and 10 ft wide. It has dark green shiny leaves 3-6 in long and 2-4 in wide with brown undersides. It is also known as ‘Teddy Bear’,^[28]for the fuzzy brown undersurface of the leaves.^[33]

Magnolia grandiflora contains phenolic constituents shown to possess significant antimicrobial activity. Magnolol, honokiol, and 3,5′-diallyl-2′-hydroxy-4-methoxybiphenyl exhibited significant activity against Gram-positive and acid-fast bacteria and fungi. The leaves contain coumarins and sesquiterpene lactones.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Russet’: female-phase flower (19th April 2022). Image Caerhays Estate.Magnolia grandiflora ‘Russet’: male-phase flower (13th June 2013). Image Caerhays Estate.