Kobus Magnolia

• Kobus magnolia (Magnolia kobus) usually grows up to 25 feet tall and 25 to 35 feet wide, but can reach heights of 40 to 75 feet in a forest. Its multiple trunks produce drooping branches which may touch the ground. Kobus magnolia has pinkish white flowers which bloom in the spring before the leaves appear. The flowers measure 4 inches wide and have a delicate fragrance. Birds like to eat the showy, oblong, pink or red fruits. The oval leaves grow up to 8 inches long and turn yellow in the fall. This deciduous tree grows best in well-drained soil in a sunny to partially shaded area.
  
  

Star Magnolia

• Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is a small tree or shrub which grows up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. Its multiple trunks or stems add an attractive accent to a border or patio. The fragrant pink or white flowers measure only 3 or 4 inches across, and bloom in late before the leaves open. The leaves are dark green with lighter green undersides, and do not add fall color before they drop. Star magnolia prefers rich, well-drained, acidic soil in a sunny location. Protect this tree from cold winds, which can damage early blossoms.
  
  

Sweetbay Magnolia

• As a single-trunk tree, sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) grows up to 50 feet tall and 40 feet wide.It has multiple stems when it grows as a shrub. Its upright branches produce cream-colored, 3-inch flowers which have a lemony fragrance. The dark green leaves, which have silvery undersides, are deciduous in cooler regions and evergreen in warmer Southern climates. Sweetbay magnolia grows wild near streams and wetlands. It prefers moist, acidic soil, and will tolerate brief dry periods. The Clemson University Cooperative Extension recommends sweetbay magnolia as a border, lawn, or patio plant.
  
  

Umbrella Magnolia

• Umbrella magnolia (Magnolia tripeleta) grows wild in forests and along streams more often than as a cultivated tree. This deciduous tree can have single or multiple trunks and grows up to 40 feet tall and 30 feet wide. The yellowish bowl-shaped flowers, which bloom after the leaves open, measure 6 to 12 inches across and have an unpleasant smell. The reddish, cone-shaped fruits measure 4 to 6 inches long. The tree gets its name from the large leaves, which grow up to 2 feet long and droop in clusters at the ends of the branches. Umbrella magnolia prefers partial to heavy shade and moist, well-drained, acidic soil.