Taxonomy
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Scientific name: Magnolia virginiana
Common names: sweet bay magnolia, sweet bay, laurel magnolia, swamp-bay, swamp magnolia, white bay, and beaver tree, southern sweet bay, sweet magnolia, small magnolia, white Laurel, swamp laurel (Magnolia virginiana, sweet bay magnolia, n.d; TWC Staff, 2023.)
Morphology
Type: Evergreen to semi-evergreen tree in warmer areas and semi-evergreen to deciduous in colder areas (Magnolia virginiana, n.d.)
Size: usually it grows to 10 m but it can reach up to 18 m (TWC Staff, 2023; Sheahan, 2015; Magnolia virginiana, n.d.)
Leaves: simple, alternate, oblong-lanceolate up to 15 cm in length (TWC Staff, 2023; Magnolia virginiana, n.d.)
Flower: up to 12 white to creamy waxy petals or sepals with a vanilla and lemon sent measuring a maximum of 15 cm (Magnolia virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2023; Magnolia virginiana, n.d.). It blooms May to June (Sheahan, 2015). Flower has a strong vanilla aroma reaching a diameter of meters from the flower. In addition, it has a lemon scent, and flowers open for only 3 days during the daylight. Flower dissipate heat that benefits beetles (Bir, 1992; Losada, 2014; Magnolia virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2023; Sheahan, 2015).
Fruit: dark red aggregate follicles (resembling a cone) up to 5cm long with 1cm red seeds produced in the fall (Magnolia virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2023; Magnolia virginiana, n.d)
Growth and Attributes
Reproduction: seeds, pollinated by insects(Sheahan, 2015)
Pollinators: beetles, moths, Tiger Swallowtails and Spicebush swallowtail (Trapp, 2022)
Habitat: lowlands, swamps and wetlands (Magnolia virginiana, 2023; Sheahan, 2015)
Distribution: Eastern United States, see: USDA Distribution Map
Cultivation: requires full sun to part shade; acidic, medium to wet soils; fertilization during establishment in spring and summer; and periodic watering. It tolerates wet boggy soils (Sheahan, 2015; Magnolia virginiana, n.d.)
Conservation status: Least concerned
Ecosystem value: food for birds, beneficial for beetles (Magnolia virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2023; Bir, 1992; Losada, 2014; Magnolia virginiana, n.d.)
Human uses: ornamental, baits for beavers (from roots), rain gardens (Magnolia virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2023; Bir, 1992; Losada, 2014; Magnolia virginiana, n.d.)
Pests: Not very susceptible to pests occasionally leaf spot, tulip-poplar weevil, magnolia borer, Magnolia serpentine leaf miner moth (Sheahan, 2015)
Unique characteristics: It was the first species of the genus Magnolia scientifically described using modern botanical terminology. Bark has an aroma similar to the one emitted by the bay laurel (Bir, 1992; Losada, 2014; Magnolia virginiana, 2023; TWC Staff, 2023; Sheahan, 2015). One of the most ancient trees worldwide, survives up to 50 years (USNA, 2006).
Wetland plant status: there are 2 wetland regions in VA:
- Mountains and Piedmonts and Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain.
- Sweet bay magnolia is facultative wetland (FACW) for both wetland regions.
Recommended Reading
GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION FACILITY (GBIF) LISTING
Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora Species Distribution Map
References
Bir, R. E. 1992. Growing and propagating showy native woody plants. Univ. of N. Carol. Press. Chapel Hill, NC.
Losada, J.M. 2014. Magnolia virginiana: ephemeral courting for millions of years. Arnoldia 71/3. Arnold Arboretum. Boston, MA. http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2014-71-3-magnolia-virginianaephemeral-courting-for-millions-of-years.pdf
Magnolia virginiana, n.d. Missouri Botanical Garden. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e110
Magnolia virginiana (n.d.) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. https://wetland-plants.sec.usace.army.mil/nwpl_static/v34/species/species.html?DET=001100#
Magnolia virginiana (sweet bay magnolia). https://www.gardenia.net/plant/magnolia-virginiana-sweet-bay-magnolia
Magnolia virginiana (2023, May 29). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_virginiana
Sheahan, C.M. 2015. Plant guide for sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cape May Plant Materials Center, Cape May, NJ.
TWC Staff. (2023, April 13). Magnolia virginiana. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MAVI2
USNA (United States National Arboretum). 2006. Magnolia questions and answers. National Arboretum. Washington, D.C
Coauthored by Monica Marcelli & Adrian Hagarty, 2023.