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Southern magnolia
Habit (mature) · Anna Anichkova / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
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Southern magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora
A large evergreen tree of the southeastern US coastal plain with thick glossy oblong leaves (rusty undersides), enormous (8-12 inch) creamy-white cup-shaped fragrant flowers in late spring through summer, and conspicuous red-seeded cone-like fruit in fall. Beetle-pollinated — the magnolia genus evolved before bees existed and retains the ancient beetle-pollination relationship documented per NC State. Year-round leaf drop and dense canopy mean almost nothing grows beneath; site with that constraint accepted.
Native: 12 US states
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (57/100)
Focal point
Structure
Light
Full sun / Part shade
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
720-960" tall · 360" apart
Hardy in zones
6a-10b
cold to mild winters
Summer heat range
Warm-Extreme
warm to extreme summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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Native across 12 US states and Canadian provinces — a wide-ranging part of North America's plant communities.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/southern-magnolia
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
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Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 3.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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