Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’)
Identifying Features
Plant Family: Magnoliaceae
Leaf: evergreen, alternate, simple, leaves lustrous and dark green on top, light green with rusty hairs beneath
Twig and Bud: twigs and buds covered in rusty brown hairs
Flower, Fruit and Seed: flowers large, fragrant and creamy white, fruiting clusters cone-shaped with red coated seeds
Bark: gray-brown, smooth when young, scales may develop as trees mature
Shape and Mature Height: pyramidal with low branches, mature height 30-50 feet
Garden Value and Considerations
The cup-shaped flowers bloom in late spring. The evergreen leaves are beautiful year-round. Grows best in rich, moist, well-drained loam. These trees do not tolerate soil moisture extremes or urban pollution.
Notes
The fruits of southern magnolia are eaten by squirrels, opossum, quail, and wild turkey.
