Magnolia macrophylla Michaux. Common name: Bigleaf Magnolia. Phenology: May-Jun; Jul-Aug. Habitat: Mesic forests, primarily over limestone, other calcareous sedimentary rocks (calcareous shales, sandstones, etc.), or mafic rocks (east of the Blue Ridge), mesic hammocks in the Coastal Plain. Distribution: S. Ohio and sw. Virginia south through e. Tennessee to w. Georgia, west to Alabama, Mississippi, n. Louisiana, and se. Arkansas (Sundell et al. 1999); disjunct on Crowleys Ridge in ne. Arkansas (population now extirpated), c. and nc. South Carolina, and e. South Carolina (where probably not native). The range of this species is sometimes stated in such a way as to imply that it is a tree of the southern Blue Ridge, which it barely and marginally enters. Actually, it avoids the Southern Blue Ridge, reaching its greatest abundance in the sedimentary rock Appalachians west of the Blue Ridge, particularly the Cumberland Plateau, and occurs east of the Blue Ridge only as a rare disjunct.
ID notes: The leaves are up to 1.1 meter long and 3.5 dm wide. The large size of the leaves, the small lobes (auricles) at the base of the leaf, and the strongly whitened lower leaf surface separate it from all other species in our flora, except its sister species, Magnolia ashei, which is allopatric (not geographically overlapping) in the FL Panhandle.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: The Gulf Coast endemic Magnolia ashei Weatherby is related and is sometimes treated as a variety or subspecies of M. macrophylla. Seven rare and isolated species of section Macrophylla occur in montane Mexico (Sánchez-González et al. 2021).
Other Comments: See Williams (1999) for additional information about the discovery and nomenclature of this species.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, FNA3, G, K1, K4, NS, NY, POWO, RAB, S, Tn, Va, W, Hardin & Jones (1989), Sánchez-González et al (2021), Vázquez-García et al (2016); = Magnolia macrophylla Michx. ssp. macrophylla — Frodin & Govaerts (1996), Spongberg (1998), Tobe (1998); = Metamagnolia macrophylla (Michx.) Sima & S.G.Lu ssp. macrophylla — Sima & Lu (2012); = n/a — Pa; < Magnolia macrophylla Michx. — S13. Basionym: Magnolia macrophylla Michx. 1803
Links to other floras: = Magnolia macrophylla - FNA3
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Heliophily ⓘ: 3
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
© Emily Oglesby | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: magnolia macrophylla middle creek gulf signal mountain prentice cooper state forest hamilton co tn 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Magnolia macrophylla, Stone Mountain Park, Dekalb County, Georgia 3 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Magnolia macrophylla, Stone Mountain Park, Dekalb County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
© Emily Oglesby | Original Image ⭷
© Emily Oglesby | Original Image ⭷Feedback
Horticultural Information
Intro:
Stems:
Leaves:
Inforescence:
Flowers:
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 30- 40 ft.
plant sale text: Bigleaf magnolia is one of the most beloved specimen trees here at the Garden. It has something to offer in every season: dinner plate sized white blooms in late spring, wonderfully large leaves throughout the growing season. This tree has the largest simple leaves of any tree native to North America! It also has large red fruits in late summer, a brief burst of yellow fall color, and open, intriguing architecture in winter. Not often offered for sale, get one while you can!
bloom table text:
description:
stems:
leaves:
inflorescence:
flowers:
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: southeastern United States