I just smelled a Southern icon and it wasn’t Elvis.
No, it was the sweet perfume wafting from the enormous white blossoms of our native Southern magnolia.
Is a magnolia a good choice for planting in your yard?
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It really depends on how much space you have.
A regularSouthern magnolia(Magnolia grandiflora) gets bigabout 60- to 80-feet tall and 30- to 40-feet wide.
That’s too big for a small yard.
emCones filled with bright red seeds replace the flowers in fall. Photo by Steve Bender./em.
I remember as a kid watching my grandfather police his yard every morning beneath two giant magnolias.
He’d pick up leaves by spearing them using a wooden pole with a spike at the end.
Does this mean the average person can’t enjoythis iconic evergreenin their yard?
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You just have to pick the right kind of Southern magnolia for the spot you have in mind.
One of the four following selections will be right for you, provided you have the proper growing conditions.
The leaves are extremely dark green and glossy above with striking fuzzy brown undersides.
It’s not a dwarf, as many people believe, and eventually grows 20- to 25-feet tall.
It starts blooming at a younger age than any other magnolia I know.
I’ve seen it blooming at three feet tall.
It grows 15- to 20-feet tall and 10 feet wide and is hardy to USDA Zone 7.
This is my #1 choice for small gardens.
Soil
Southern Magnolias grow best in soil that is slightly acidic to a neutral acidity level.
The soil needs to be moist, but well-draining.
After first planting your magnolia, be sure to give it a good deep soak.
Overwatering can lead to issues, so avoid keeping the area drenched.
are good signs of this.
