font settings and languages

Font Size: Large | Normal | Small
Font Face: Verdana | Geneva | Georgia
Languages:

Magnolia grandiflora

(Bull Bay)

Overview

[ Back to top ]

Tree , native to SE US and Texas, introduced into Hawaii early in the 19th century, first planted at Hanalei, Kauai.

Interesting Facts

[ Back to top ]

Common Names

[ Back to top ]

Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in English:

Bull Bay, Bull-Bay, Magnolia, Southern Magnolia

Common Names in French:

Laurier Tulipier

Common Names in Japanese:

Taisan-Boku

Description

[ Back to top ]

Family Magnoliaceae

Trees or shrubs , deciduous or evergreen , aromatic . Pith homogeneous or diaphragmed . Leaves alternate, simple , petiolate ; stipules early or tardily deciduous, at first surrounding stem, adnate on adaxial side of petiole (free in Magnolia grandiflora ), often ochreate, leaving persistent annular scar around node. Leaf blade pinnately veined, unlobed (or evenly 2-10-lobed in Liriodendron ), margins entire. Inflorescences terminal , solitary flowers (often paired in Magnolia ashei ), pedunculate ; spathaceous bracts 2 (Magnolia ) or 1 (Liriodendron ) . Flowers: perianth hypogynous, segments imbricate; tepals deciduous, 6-18, in 3 or more whorls of 3, ± similar or outer tepals sepaloid , inner tepals petaloid ; stamens numerous , hypogynous, free, spirally arranged ; filaments very short to 1/2 length of anthers ; anthers introrse , latrorse , or extrorse , longitudinally dehiscent ; connective with distal appendage ; pistils numerous, superior, spirally arranged on elongate receptacle (torus), stalked or sessile, free or ±concrescent, 1-locular; placentation marginal , placenta 1; ovules 1-2; style 1, short and recurved (Magnolia ) or large and winglike (Liriodendron ) ; stigma 1, terminal or terminal decurrent (Magnolia ) or recurved (Liriodendron ) . Fruits conelike syncarps consisting of aggregates of coalescent , woody follicles (follicetums, as in Magnolia ) or apocarps consisting of aggregates of indehiscent samaras (samaracetums, as in Liriodendron ) . Seeds 1-2 per pistil, arillate , endosperm oily (Magnolia ), or without aril, adherent to dry endocarp ( Liriodendron ) .

Genera ca. 6(-12), species ca. 220 (2 genera, 9 species in the flora ) : mostly in Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Western Hemisphere.

Magnoliaceae are pollinated by beetles.

Herbarium material of Magnolia is usually incomplete and inadequate for critical study. Collections should include material of the stipules, spathaceous bracts, a full complement of stamens, and all of the perianth segments to facilitate identification of Magnolia species.[1]

Genus Magnolia

Trees or shrubs , deciduous or evergreen . Pith homogeneous or diaphragmed . Leaves distinctly alternate or sometimes crowded in terminal whorl-like clusters ; stipules early deciduous, free or adnate to and proximal on petiole . Leaf blade : base deeply cordate or auriculate or cuneate to abruptly narrowed or rounded , margins entire, apex obtuse or acute to acuminate; surfaces abaxially chalky white or green to glaucous, pubescent or glabrous . Flowers protogynous, appearing with or before leaves; tepals 9-15, petaloid , usually spreading , creamy white, rarely greenish, yellow, or orange-yellow, outermost tepals sepaloid , sometimes strongly reflexed , greenish; stamens on elongate torus, early deciduous; filaments white or purple, very short; anthers introrse or latrorse . Follicles persistent , coalescent , forming conelike aggregate, abaxially dehiscent. Seeds with red, pink, or orange oily aril, extruded from follicles and suspended by funiculi. x =19.

Species ca. 120: temperate and tropical regions , Western Hemisphere, Asia (Himalayas, China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia) .[2]

Physical Description

Species Magnolia grandiflora

Trees , evergreen , single-trunked, to 37 m. Bark gray, rough, thick, furrowed in thick plates . Pith diaphragmed . Twigs and foliar buds densely red- or white-hairy. Leaves distinctly alternate, not in terminal whorl-like clusters ; stipules 2, free , 4.5-13 × 1.5-3.5 cm, abaxially densely brown-silky, sometimes deeply notched . Leaf blade narrowly to broadly elliptic or oblanceolate , (7.5-) 13-20(-26) × (4.5-) 6-10(-12.5) cm, thick-leathery, base narrowly cuneate, apex abruptly tapered and acute to short-acuminate, rarely obtuse ; surfaces abaxially glabrous to densely red-brown felted, adaxially bright green, lustrous , glabrous . Flowers strongly lemony fragrant, 15-30(-45) cm across; spathaceous bracts 2, leathery, outer bract abaxially brown to grayish pilose , deeply notched, smaller, inner bract adaxially densely brown to grayish pilose, shallowly notched, larger; tepals creamy white; stamens (179-) 213-383(-405), 16-29 mm; filaments purple; pistils (45-) 55-81(-89). Follicetums cylindric to somewhat obovoid , 7-10 × 3.5-5 cm; follicles beaked , sparsely to densely silky-villous. Seeds lenticular to narrowly ellipsoid , (9-) 12-14 mm, adaxially slightly grooved , aril red. 2 n =114. [source]

Magnolia grandiflora (a hexaploid ) is highly variable, especially the leaves, which range from glabrous to densely red-brown felted on the abaxial surface. It is the only magnolia species in the flora with free stipules, and the inner spathaceous bract is unique among Magnolia taxa in the flora. Curled filiform trichomes occur on the abaxial leaf surface. In the wild, hybrids with M. virginiana (a diploid) have been reported but not confirmed by the present author . The compatibility of these taxa is well known from the Freeman hybrid, a highly sterile tetraploid growing at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. In crosses using the hexaploid M. grandiflora, this parent is dominant and nearly masks the other parent. [source]

Magnolia grandiflora is an escape , and it naturalizes in the tidewater area of Virginia and locally elsewhere beyond its natural range in the southeastern United States. It ranks among the noblest of North American broadleaved trees and is cultivated widely in the United States and in many other countries. A large number of cultivars have been introduced to horticulture . [source]

ID Features: Wooly, brown pubescence on terminal buds. Terminal buds are 0.75" to 1.25" long. Valvate, appressed and small lateral buds. Ash-gray, smooth bark. Emits citrus odor when branch bruised. Red seeds. Large, white flowers.

Habit: A large, low branching and dense evergreen tree . Pyramidal to oval growth habit. • Growth Form: Single StemShape and Orientation: Rounded

Flowers: White flowers. Blooms in spring and sporadically throughout season . Fragrant. Up to 12" in diameter. Saucer shaped. Found singly. • Bloom Period: February, March, April. • Flower Color: near white, white • Flower Conspicuous: Large, cup shaped

Seeds: Seed per Pound: 6400 • Seed Spread Rate: Slow • Seedling Vigor: High • Fruit: Elongated aggregate of follicles, 3" to 8" long. Red seeds. Showy. Persistent . Attracts birds. Matures in September. • Fruit/Seed Abundance: Medium • Fruit/Seed Color: Red • Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: Yes • Cold Stratification Required: Yes

Foliage: Large, leathery, glossy • Foliage Shape: OvateFoliage Color: Green • Normal foliage color: Green • Underside foliage: Green • Juvenile foliage: Green • Mature foliage: Green • New foliage: Green • Spring foliage: Green • Summer foliage: Alternate leaf arrangement . Simple , evergreen leaves. Elliptic leaf shape. 5" to 10" long. 2" to 5" wide. Entire leaf margins. Dense, brown pubescence on underside. Think and leathery. Leaf color is dark green. • Fall foliage: No fall color. • Winter foliage: Green • Foliage Porosity Summer: Dense • Foliage Porosity Winter: Dense • Foliage Texture: CoarseFall Conspicuous: Yes • Leaf Retention: Yes

Size/Age/Growth

Active Growth Period: Spring and Summer • Growth Rate: Moderate. • Mature Height (feet): 100.0 • Maximum Height at 20 Years (feet): 40 • Size: 30 to 80 ft . or taller, 15 to 50 ft. or more wide. • Vegetative Spread Rate: None • Lifespan: Lifespan

Landscaping

Landscape Uses: Espalier . Buffer . Screen . For flowers and fruit. For fragrance. As a specimen. Shade tree . Street tree. Golf courses . Park tree. • Liabilities: Leaves and fruit can be a litter problem. Can not tolerate soil compaction and rarely with survive in a construction. site. Roots will girdle . Scale and aphids. Leaf spot. Thin bark , easily damaged by lawn equipment. Young trees don't flower. • Care: Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system . Watering can be reduced after establishment. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring .

Habitat

Wooded dunes, hammocks , river bottoms , mesic woods , and ravine slopes ; coastal plain ; 0-120m[3].

Hardy to zone 6.

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 4,653 meters (0 to 15,266 feet).[4]

Biology

[ Back to top ]

Reproduction

Duration: PerennialCoppice Potential: No • Progagated by Bulbs: No • Propagated by Bare Root: Yes • Propagated by Container: Yes • Propagated by Corms: No • Propagated by Cuttings: No • Propagated by Seed: Yes • Propagated by Sod: No • Propagated by Sprigs: No • Propagated by Tubers: No • Fruit/Seed Period Begin: Summer • Fruit/Seed Period End: Summer • Fruit/Seed Persistence: Yes

Growth

Culture: Full sun to shade. Soil tolerant . Transplant from container or B&B, difficult to transplant. Prune after flowering. Prefers rich, well-drained soil. Somewhat drought tolerant.

Soil: Adapted to Medium Textured: Adapted to Medium Textured Soils • Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils: No • Anaerobic Tolerance: None • Salinity Tolerance: Medium • CaCO3 Tolerance: Low • Minimum pH: 4.5 • Maximum pH: 6.5 • Fertility Requirement: Low

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full sunShade Tolerance: Tolerant

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: Low • Minimum Precipitation: 35 • Maximum Precipitation: 60 • Moisture Use: High • Water Requirements: Water regularly, when top 3 in. of soil is dry.

Temperature: Minimum Temperature (F): 7°F. • Minimum Frost Free Days: 220 • Heat Zones: High: 9 (>120 to 150 days) Low:3 (>7 to 14 days) (map) • Cold Hardiness: 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)

Taxonomy

[ Back to top ]

Synonyms

M. foetida (Linnaeus) Sargent • M. lacunosa Rafinesque • M. virginiana Linnaeus Var. foetida Linnaeus • Magnolia angustifolia Millais • Magnolia elliptica Link • Magnolia exoniensis Millais • Magnolia ferruginea W. Watson • Magnolia ferruginea Z. Collins Ex Rafinesque • Magnolia foetida (L.) Sarg. • Magnolia foetida f. margaretta Ashe • Magnolia foetida f. parvifolia Ashe • Magnolia foetida Sarg. • Magnolia galissoniensis Millais • Magnolia gloriosa Millais • Magnolia grandiflora f. galissoniensis K. Koch • Magnolia grandiflora f. lanceolata (Aiton) Rehder • Magnolia grandiflora var. elliptica W. T. Aiton • Magnolia grandiflora var. exoniensis Loud. • Magnolia grandiflora var. ferruginea Sims • Magnolia grandiflora var. lanceolata Aiton • Magnolia grandiflora var. obovata W. T. Aiton • Magnolia hartwegii G. Nicholson • Magnolia hartwicus G. Nicholson • Magnolia lacunosa Raf. • Magnolia lanceolata Link • Magnolia longifolia Sweet • Magnolia maxima Lodd. Ex G. Don • Magnolia microphylla Ser. • Magnolia obovata Aiton Ex Link • Magnolia Obtusifolia • Magnolia praecox Millais • Magnolia pravertiana Millais • Magnolia rotundifolia Millais • Magnolia stricta G. Nicholson • Magnolia tardiflora Ser. • Magnolia tomentosa Ser. • Magnolia virginiana var. foetida L.

Notes

Publishing author : L.

Similar Species

[ Back to top ]

Members of the genus Magnolia

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 213 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

M. acuminata (Cucumber Magnolia) · M. acuminata (L.) L. var. subcordata (Spach) Dandy (Yellow Cucumbertree) · M. acuminata (L.) L. 'Yellow Bird' (Yellow Bird Cucumbertree Magnolia) · M. acuminata 'Butterflies' (Butterflies Magnolia) · M. acuminata 'Koban Dori' (Cucumber Magnolia) · M. ashei (Ashe Magnolia) · M. biondii (Biond Magnolia) · M. campbellii (Pink Tulip Tree) · M. cavaleriei (Michelia) · M. champaca (Champaca) · M. chapensis (Michelia) · M. coco (Cempaka Gondok) · M. compressa (Michelia) · M. dawsoniana (Magnolia) · M. dawsoniana 'Chyverton Red' (Magnolia) · M. dealbata (Cloudforest Magnolia) · M. delavayi (Evergreen Chinese Magnolia) · M. denudata (Lilytree) · M. denudata 'Forrest's Pink' (Forrest's Pink Tulip Tree) · M. denudata 'Iolanthe' (Tulip Tree) · M. doltsopa (Chinese Magnolia) · M. ernestii (Michelia) · M. figo (Banana Magnolia) · M. floribunda (Magnolia) · M. fraseri (Fraser Magnolia) · M. fraseri var. fraseri (Fraser´s Magnolia) · M. grandiflora (Bull Bay) · M. grandiflora var. Alta (Alta Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Al's Golden' (Als Golden Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Baby Doll' (Baby Doll Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Baldwin' (Baldwin Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Blackwell' (Blackwell Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Blanchard' (Blanchard Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' (Bracken's Brown Beauty Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Bronze Brown Beauty' (Bronze Brown Beauty Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Cairo' (Cairo Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Celestial' (Celestial Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Claudia Wannamaker' (Claudia Wannamaker Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Coppertop' (Coppertop Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'D.d. Blanchard' (D.d. Blanchard Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Edith Bogue' (Edith Bogue Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Emory' (Emory Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Fairhope' (Fairhope Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Gallosoniensis' (Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Gloriosa' (Gloriosa Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Goliath' (Goliath Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Greenback' (Greenback Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Green Giant' (Green Giant Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Hasse' (Hasse Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Howard Poole' (Howard Poole Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Kay Paris' (Kay Paris Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Kay Parris' (Kay Parris Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Little Gem' (Dwarf Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Mainstreet' (Mainstreet Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Majestic Beauty' (Majestic Beauty Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'MGTIG' (Greenback" Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Millais' (Millais Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Monlia' (Majestic Beauty® Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Montreaux' (Montreaux Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Ocean Wave' (Ocean Wave Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Orbit' (Orbit Southern Magnolia) · M. Grandiflora 'Overton' (Southern Magnolia Overton) · M. grandiflora 'Pioneer' (Pioneer Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Robert Reich' (Robert Reich Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Russet' (Russet Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Saint Mary' (Saint Mary Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Samuel Sommer' (Samuel Sommer Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Satin Leaf' (Satin Leaf Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Smitty' (Smitty Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Southern Charm' (Teddy Bear® Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Spring Hill' (Spring Hill Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'St. Mary' (St. Mary Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Sunset' (Sunset Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Symmes Select' (Symmes Select Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Teddy Bear' (Teddy Bear Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Timeless Beauty' (Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Tmgh' (Alta" Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Tulsa' (Tulsa Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Twentyfour Below' (Twentyfour Below Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Variegata' (Variegata Southern Magnolia) · M. grandiflora 'Victoria' (Victoria Southern Magnolia) · M. insignis (Red Lotus Tree) · M. kobus (Japanese Magnolia) · M. lacei (White Michelia) · M. laevifolia (Michelia) · M. liliflora 'Nigra' (Nigra Magnolia) · M. liliifera (Egg Magnolia) · M. liliiflora (Lily Magnolia) · M. liliiflora 'Nigra' (Magnolia) · M. macrophylla (Bigleaf Magnolia) · M. macrophylla ashei (Ashe's Magnolia) · M. macrophylla dealbata (Cloudforest Magnolia) · M. macrophylla macrophylla (Bigleaf Magnolia) · M. macrophylla var. ashei (Ashe's Magnolia) · M. maudiae (Michelia) · M. montana (Mountain Magnolia) · M. nitida (Eastern Joy Lotustree) · M. obovata (Whitebark Magnolia) · M. officinalis (Medicinal Magnolia) · M. officinalis var. biloba (Chinese Magnolia)

More Info

[ Back to top ]

Further Reading

[ Back to top ]

Notes

[ Back to top ]

Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 16, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Frederick G. Meyer "Magnoliaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Christopher H. Haufler, Michael D. Windham, Frank A. Lang, S. A. Whitmore "Magnolia". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. "Magnolia grandiflora". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  4. Mean = 188.460 meters (618.307 feet), Standard Deviation = 587.540 based on 292 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/15/2012