Bigleaf Magnolia
Magnolia macrophylla
Leaves up to three feet long and cream-white blooms up to 18 inches across. Tropical scale from a native Virginia woodland tree.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Three-foot leaves, eighteen-inch flowers, and genuine tropical drama from a native Appalachian woodland tree. nothing else in our catalog makes this kind of statement.
Bigleaf magnolia has the largest leaves of any native tree in North America, some reaching three feet long and over a foot wide. Walking under a mature specimen feels like walking under a tropical canopy. The leaves are extraordinary: bold, architectural, and casting deep shade. In late spring, cream-white flowers up to 18 inches across with purple centers open at the branch tips, possibly the largest flowers of any native North American tree. This is a statement tree for gardeners who want something genuinely dramatic and ecologically grounded at the same time. The scale is tropical but the plant is native Virginia woodland. Give it a protected spot, large leaves are vulnerable to wind damage, and room to develop the impressive layered canopy it builds over time.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown bigleaf magnolia propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 30–40 ft · 20–30 ft wide
- Bloom time
- Late spring
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 5–8
- Family
- Magnoliaceae
- Native range
- Southeastern United States
Care notes for bigleaf magnolia.
Part shade to full shade, moist well-drained soil. Protect from strong winds. large leaves can be torn. Water consistently, especially during establishment. No pruning needed. Mulch generously. Acidic, humus-rich soil is ideal. Slow to begin, more confident once roots are established.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside bigleaf magnolia.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.