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Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 to 340 [a] flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. The natural range of Magnolia species is disjunct, with a main center in east and southeast Asia and a secondary center in eastern North America, Central America, the West Indies, and some species in South America .
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magnolia, (genus Magnolia), genus of about 225 species of trees and shrubs of the family Magnoliaceae native to North and South America, the Himalayas, and East Asia. They are valued for their large and fragrant white, yellow, pink, or purple flowers and frequently handsome leaves and unusual fruits. Some are important garden ornamentals; others ar...
Magnolia plants can be evergreen or deciduous and bear alternate smooth-margined leaves. The flowers, usually cuplike and fragrant, are located at the branch tips and have three sepals, six to 12 petals arranged in two to four series, and many spirally arranged stamens. The numerous simple ovaries in the centre later form a conelike fruit known as an aggregate of follicles. Each follicle of the fruit bears a single seed. The seeds, usually reddish, often hang pendulously by slender threads.
Britannica Quiz
Some of the more popular species, native to North America and relatively hardy and deciduous trees unless otherwise noted, are: laurel, also called southern magnolia or sweet bay (Magnolia grandiflora), a 31-metre (102-foot) evergreen with thick shining leaves; sweet bay (M. virginiana), 19 metres (62 feet) tall with leathery leaves; big-leaf magnolia (M. macrophylla), 15 metres (50 feet) tall with purple-based blooms; umbrella tree (M. tripetala), 12 metres (40 feet) tall with leaves 60 cm (2 feet) long that are sometimes used as rain shields; cucumber tree (M. acuminata), a 30-metre (100-foot) tree with cucumber-shaped rosy fruits; and Thompson’s magnolia (M. ×thompsoniana), a hybrid between the umbrella tree and the laurel magnolia with fragrant blooms that have a spicy odour.
Well-known Asian species of the genus Magnolia include lily magnolia (M. liliiflora), a 4-metre (13-foot) shrubby tree that has purple blossoms with white interiors and brownish fruits; yulan magnolia (M. denudata), a 60-metre (nearly 200-foot) tree; saucer magnolia (M. ×soulangeana), a gray-barked hybrid between the lily magnolia and the yulan magnolia, which has flowers that may be white, pink, crimson, or purplish; Oyama magnolia (M. sieboldii), a 9-metre (30-foot) tree with crimson fruits; and star magnolia (M. stellata), of similar height with spidery flowers.
Magnolia is a genus of about 225 species of trees and shrubs with large and fragrant flowers and distinctive fruits. Learn about the physical features, distribution, and cultivation of some of the most popular magnolia species, such as laurel, yulan, and saucer magnolia.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Magnoliaceae, magnolia family of the order Magnoliales that contains at least two genera and nearly 250 species, including many handsome, fragrant-flowering trees and shrubs.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Learn how to grow and care for magnolias, the ornamental trees and shrubs with large, fragrant blooms. Find out about different types, colours, sizes and growing conditions of magnolias.
- Anise Magnolia (Magnolia salicifolia) The anise magnolia has leaves that look somewhat like those of a willow tree or shrub. They are wider than willow leaves but not as wide as the usual magnolia leaf (another common name is willow-leaf magnolia).
- Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) Bigleaf magnolia lives up to its name, producing leaves that can be up to 32 inches long. Like most magnolias, it is normally a deciduous tree, though it may be evergreen in the warmer zones.
- Ashe's Magnolia (Magnolia ashei) Ashe's magnolia can be either a large shrub or a small tree, depending on how it is pruned. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of the bigleaf magnolia (its leaves are as much as 2 feet long).
- Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata) Cucumber tree magnolia is so named because the fruits look somewhat like the vegetable. This is the most cold-hardy of the magnolias, but while it has the large glossy leaves (up to 10 inches long) and large growth habit of the classic southern magnolias, the greenish, tulip-shaped flowers are much less showy— only about 2 inches across.
Jan 10, 2024 · Learn about the different types of magnolia plants and flowers, their history, characteristics, and how to grow and care for them. Find out which magnolias are fragrant, evergreen, hybrid, or native to various regions of the world.
With large, fragrant flowers and magnificent branch structures, magnolia trees are one of the oldest flower plants on Earth. Large or small, evergreen or deciduous, there’s a magnolia just right for your space. Learn how to plant, grow, and care for magnolias.
