Magnolia virginiana L.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Magnoliaceae

• Scientific Name

  Magnolia virginiana L.

• Description

  Species Description - Tall shrub or slender tree to 20 m; terminal winter bud 1–2.5 cm, finely silky; lvs aromatic, scattered, leathery, evergreen in the south, oblong to elliptic or oblanceolate, 8–15 cm, a third or half as wide, obtuse, basally acute to rounded, the lower surface glaucous and finely hairy; fls fragrant, white, subglobose, ca 5 cm thick; pet 9–12, leathery, obovate, concave, 3–5 cm; fr cone ellipsoid, 3–5 cm, the follicles glabrous; 2n=38. Wet woods and margins of swamps; Fla. to Tex., n. to Pa., N.J., Long I., and e. Mass., chiefly on coastal plain. May–July.

• Common Names

  sweet bay