#65 Magnolia virginiana Common Names: sweet bay, silver bay, swamp bay Family: Magnoliaceae (magnolia Family) Get link to this Profile or click for data record #65 e-mail this page

Description
Sweetbay is a rather tall, slender tree with alternate, simple leaves, a smooth gray trunk and an irregularly rounded crown. It can reach a height of 75', but more commonly grows 40'-60'. It bears large, fragrant, white blossoms in the springtime. The leaves are silvery underneath and give the tree a silver or white appearance. Its small fruits turn bright red in the fall.

Location
Sweetbay is commonly found in a variety of wetlands or swales and along streams on the coastal plain of the United States, from Massachusetts, south to peninsular Florida, and west to Texas.

Culture
Light: Partial shade.
Moisture: Moist to wet and boggy.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 6-9.
Propagation: Seeds and transplants.

Usage
This tree is used sparingly as an ornamental in wetter areas. It is evergreen and makes a good backdrop to smaller darker trees and shrubs in wetland plantings. It is generally overlooked for its showier relatives, such as the Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), which has larger leaves and blossoms.

Features
Sweetbay has attractive foliage, blossoms and fruit.

sl 06/20/97 - updated: js 11/26/98

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