What Do Magnolia Trees Look Like?

Magnolia trees have been found around the world by plant hunters. Because they have been found in so many different regions and because of advances in plant propagation, plant experts and gardeners have found that describing the magnolia tree can be a lesson in diversity. So, what do magnolia trees look like?

Height

Magnolia trees can reach a height of more than l00 feet while Magnolia parviflora seldom reaches more than 4 feet tall. The diversity of height means there is a magnolia for every type of landscape from a small suburban garden (including containers) to the wildest jungles and woods.

Branches

The branches of the magnolia trees vary in design. Some, like Magnolia lennei, are spread out with the branches low down. Others fill trees to the top. While most branches hold a quantity of leaves, some, like the Magnolia denudata or Yulan tree, are leafless.

Bark

The bark of the magnolia tree varies from location to location but is usually light brown to gray. The bark is thought to be medicinal in some areas for a variety of physical ailments such as headaches or sexual problems.

Leaves

The size and color of magnolia leaves vary almost as much as their famous blooms. The size generally ranges from 4 to 12 inches long and 2 to 5 inches wide, although Magnolia macrophylla (Big Leaf Magnolia) has the largest: 40 inches long by l8 inches wide. The shiny leaves can range from a pale to dark green. Some have been found to have a silvery cast. Their undersides sometimes have a reddish tint described as anywhere from "foxy-red" to rust-colored.

Flowers

The famous magnolia flowers usually bloom in spring. Many of them bloom in April, but early warm weather might entice them to open sooner. Unfortunately, if the early warm weather is followed by more frost or high winds, the blossoms die and sometimes do not bloom again. Because of their variety, however, it is possible to select a tree that can withstand almost every type of weather. Some are frost hardy; some flower even after being frost-covered.
The length of time before a magnolia tree blooms also varies. Some bloom when the tree is one or two years old, while other "late bloomers" might take more than 20 years before they produce their first blossoms.
While thousands of magnolia blossoms are white or ivory, many are tinted with other colors such as purple or pink. Some have changed color completely over generations or because of cross-breeding. This means that there is a variety of colors such as purple, pink, yellow, blue or any other combination.