Sweetbay, Southern Sweetbay, Swampbay, Swamp Magnolia, Sweet Magnolia, Small Magnolia, Laurel Magnolia, White Bay, White Laurel, Swamp Laurel, Beaver Tree
Family:
Magnoliaceae (Magnolia Family)
Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map
Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Flatwoods, Southern Tertiary Uplands
Plant Characteristics
Growth Form
Tree
Height
10
to
20
ft.
Spread
10
to
15
ft.
Leaf Retention
Deciduous
Lifespan
Perennial
Habitat and Care Requirements
Soil Type(s)
Sand, Loam, Clay, Poor Drainage
Light Requirement
Sun, Part Shade
Water Requirement
Medium
Native Habitat
Woodland, Wetland or Riparian
Bloom and Attraction
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Season
Spring, Summer
Seasonal Interest
Nectar, Larval Host
Wildlife Benefit
Beetles, Birds, Moths
Maintenance
Slow growing. Prune after blooming during the growing season because dormant magnolias do not easily heal.
Propagation: Seed, semi-hardwood cuttings.
Comments
Blooms April-July. Unlike Southern Magnolia (M. grandiflora) which gets huge, Sweetbay is a good size for small yard, can also handle our Houston monsoons. Leaves are thinner with white undersides, turn yellow/brown in winter, are replaced in spring. 4-6 inch white blooms with same lemony fragrance, develop over 3 days. Red seeds on 2″ oval woody cone. Smooth gray bark, usually multi-trunked. Larval Host: Sweetbay Silkmoth, Tiger and Spicebush swallowtail butterflies.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym(s): Magnolia virginiana var. australis, Magnolia virginiana var. parva
References
1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 294. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MAVI2. 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Magnolia+virginiana&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 5) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=14422&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=18070#null