How Tall Do Magnolia Trees Grow?

The magnolia is the state tree of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Found abundantly throughout the Southeast, the magnolia is a flowering tree that can grow to 90 feet tall. Over 80 different varieties of magnolia trees grow worldwide.

Tall Magnolias

The tallest of the magnolia trees are the Southern magnolias, which are the state trees of both Mississippi and Louisiana. The Southern magnolia can grow as far west as Texas and reaches heights of as much as 90 feet. When planted in the southernmost regions of its growing area, the sweetbay magnolia can reach 80 feet, but it is only a 10-foot shrub in the most northern reaches of its territory.

Short Magnolias

The pyramid magnolia is a shorter variety of magnolia tree that reaches only 30 feet tall by comparison. Another shorter magnolia tree species is the umbrella magnolia. Growing to just 40 feet tall, the umbrella magnolia has big, showy flowers, but it lacks the sweet fragrance of the Southern variety.

Magnolia Shrubs

Magnolias can be grown as far north as New York; however, the further north they are planted, the shorter they tend to grow. The sweetbay magnolia grows as a 10-foot shrub, while the Ashe magnolia grows to a respectable 20-foot shrub.

References

• Virginia Tech: Ashe Fact Sheet
• The UNited States National Arboretum: Magnolia Questions and Answers