Magnolia's enormous, fragrant blossoms are among the oldest flowering plant designs on Earth, having evolved before bees even existed — early magnolias relied on beetles for pollination.
Found across North America and Asia, magnolia includes both evergreen southern varieties, prized for their glossy leaves and enormous white blooms, and deciduous varieties that flower on bare branches in early spring before the leaves even emerge.
Magnolia wants full sun to partial shade and rich, well-draining, slightly acidic soil, and it dislikes being transplanted once established due to its fleshy, easily damaged roots. Give it plenty of room from the start, since most varieties eventually grow into a substantial, wide-canopied tree.
Magnolia symbolizes dignity, nobility, and perseverance, and it is the official state flower and state tree of both Mississippi and Louisiana.
