Sweetbay Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana
Sweetbay magnolia leaves are long and oval leaves with blunt tips. They are shiny and leathery on top and whitish on the bottom. (Derek Ramsey/Flickr)
The sweetbay magnolia is a small, semi-evergreen tree with large, creamy white flowers that bloom in early summer. It grows in forested swamps and wetlands throughout most of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Appearance:
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Long, oval leaves with blunt tips
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Leaves grow 4-6 inches long
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Leaves are shiny, smooth and leathery on top and whitish on the bottom
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Leaves may turn brown in winter
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Large, creamy white flowers that bloom in May-July
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Grows 20-30 feet tall
Habitat:
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Grows in forested swamps and wetlands, as well as along stream banks
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Can be planted in wet and moist areas in yards
Range:
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Grows throughout most of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, except West Virginia
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Produces bundles of dark red seeds in early autumn
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Animals such as squirrels and songbirds spread the seeds
Other Facts:
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Sweetbay magnolias in the Chesapeake Bay region usually only grow about 20 feet tall, but in the southern U.S. they can grow to 90 feet
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Listed as an endangered species in New York and a threatened species in Pennsylvania
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Leaves smell spicy when crushed
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Early colonists referred to magnolias as beavertrees because they used the tree’s fragrant roots as bait in beaver traps
Sources and Additional Information:
