What are the other names for the Southern magnolia? Let's find out together.

Southern magnolia quick facts

The Southern magnolia belongs to the Magnoliaceae family and is also known as the evergreen magnolia and the lotus magnolia. The Southern magnolia is an evergreen tree with thick leathery leaves, large and fragrant flowers, a majestic and magnificent tree form, a relatively precious species, and a long lifespan. This tree is fairly widely planted in Kunshan. The character "Guang" implies Kunshan's broad-mindedness and bearing in embracing all rivers and learning widely from others' strengths; the character "Yu" implies the city character of "Kunshan has jade, and the jade lies in its people"; the character "Lan" implies Kunqu Opera, the "ancestor of all operas," as this "hidden orchid of the opera garden." Moreover, these three characters are basically open vowels, with a beautiful tone.

Morphological characteristics of the Southern magnolia

The Southern magnolia is a large evergreen tree, 20-30 m tall. The bark is light brown or gray, splitting into thin scales. Branches and buds have rusty-colored fine hairs. Leaves are oblong, alternate; petioles 1.5-4 cm long, with brown short pubescence on the underside; stipules separate from the petioles; leaves leathery, blades elliptical or obovate-oblong, 10-20 cm long, 4-10 cm wide, apex obtuse or acuminate, base cuneate, dark green and glossy above, light green below with rusty-colored fine hairs, lateral veins 8-9 pairs. Flowers fragrant, white, cup-shaped, 15-20 cm in diameter, resembling lotus flowers when open; pedicels sturdy and tomentose; tepals 9-12, obovate, thick and fleshy; stamens numerous, about 2 cm long, filaments flat, purple, anthers introrse, connective extended into a short pointed tip; gynoecium elliptical, densely covered with long tomentum, carpels ovate, 1-1.5 cm long, styles curled. Aggregate fruit cylindrical-oblong or ovate, densely covered with brown or grayish-yellow tomentum, fruit apex with a long beak. Seeds elliptical or ovate, laterally compressed, about 1.4 cm long and about 6 mm wide.

Growth habits of the Southern magnolia

The Southern magnolia grows best in sunlight and tolerates slight shade when young. It prefers a warm and humid climate and has a certain cold resistance. It is suitable for growing in dry, fertile, moist, well-drained slightly acidic or neutral soil; when planted in alkaline soil, it is prone to yellowing, and it dislikes waterlogging and poor drainage. It has strong resistance to smoke, dust, and sulfur dioxide gas, and few pests and diseases. Its root system is deep and extensive, and its wind resistance is strong. In particular, seedlings grown from seed have straight trunks, a majestic tree form, and strong adaptability.

Origin and distribution of the Southern magnolia

The Southern magnolia is native to South America and is distributed in North America as well as the Yangtze River basin and areas south of it in mainland China; in northern places such as Beijing and Lanzhou, it has already been introduced and cultivated artificially. It is the city tree of Changzhou, Nantong, and Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province, Hefei in Anhui Province, and Yuyao in Zhejiang Province. It is also relatively common in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou in the Yangtze River basin.