Magnolia grandiflora, syn. Magnolia foetida is also called Southern magnolia, evergreen magnolia, bull-bay magnolia or big-laurel. It is a tree which is native to Southeastern USA. (In a zone including North Carolina to Florida and to Texas) It can reach 80 ft (about 25 m) tall, and has an ornamental evergreen foliage. It has large, white and fragrant flowers mainly in spring, which are followed by brown-red conelike fruits.

This tree is not recommanded for small gardens. It has a medium to long lifespan of 150-200 years. The original Magnolia grandiflora species is hardy to about 3°F (-16°C), but many varieties with better frost hardiness were selected. Some of the best varieties are:

• 'Angustifolia' - lanceolate leaves of about 10x2 in. (25x5 cm)
• 'Anne Pickard' - A sport of 'Saint George' that was obtained in 1968 by Pickard. Small variegated leaves. Hardiness: -15°F (-26°C)
• 'Blackwell' - USA 1986. Hardiness: -22°F (-30°C)
• 'Blanchard' - USA 1960. Leaves have a red-green underside. Flowers are wide, but this variety is a shy bloomer.
• 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' - USA 1968. Medium sized flowers, small leaves with green-brown undersides. Dense foliage. Hardiness: -24°F (-31°C)
• 'Dauber' - USA. Hardiness: -13°F
• 'Edith Bogue' - Said to be very hardy.
• 'Empire State' - Flowers wider and leaves longer than the type. Hardiness: -11°F (-24°C)
• 'Eveline' - Obtained in the Netherland in the 1980's. Free flowering. Hardiness: -5°F (-21°C)
• 'Exmouth' (= 'Lanceolata' = 'Exoniensis') - Narrow leaves, which are paler than the type. Flowers are very fragrant. Known since 1734.
• 'Ferruginea' - Leaves with a brown-green underside.
• 'Galissonniere' (= 'Galissoniensis') - Known since 1804. Shy bloomer, but flowers wider than the type. Can withstand slightly alcaline soilds. Hardiness: -4°F (-20°C)
• 'Galissonnière Nana' 'Goliath' - Selected on the Guernesey island (UK) in 1910. Compact shape and wide leaves. Large-sized flowers. Hardiness: 0°F (-18°C)
• 'Harold Poole' - USA 1980. Small tree, about 12 ft (4 m) tall. Narrow leaves. -4°F (-20°C).
• 'Hasse' - USA 1986. Fastigated.
• 'Isenberg' - USA. Hardiness: -13°F
• 'Little Gem' - USA 1952. Dwarf, compact and erect. Leaves are up to about 5 in (12.5 cm) long. Small flowers. This tree is 20-25 ft (6-8 m) tall. Hardiness: -4°F (-20°C)
• 'Majestic Beauty' - Very wide leaves, up to 14 in ( 35 cm) long and 7 in (18 cm) wide.
• 'Nana Flore Pleno' - dwarf, double flowers.
• 'Nantenensis Flore Pleno' - compact.
• 'Microphylla' - dwarf, small elliptic leaves.
• 'Opal Haws' (='Suzette') - dwarf, no more than 20 ft (6 m) tall. Medium-sized flowers and small leaves with a green-brown underside. Hardiness: -24°F (-31°C)
• 'Pioneer' - USA 1965. Medium-sized flowers.
• 'Poconos' - USA. Rounded leaves and large flowers. Hardiness: -13°F (-25°C)
• 'Ruff' - USA 1973. Leaves with a green-red underside. Hardiness: -4°F (-20°C)
• 'Russet' - USA 1952.
• 'Saint George' - UK 1968. Very wide flowers and small leaves. Hardiness: -15°F (-26°C)
• 'Saint Mary' - Compact and slow growing. Free flowering.
• 'Samuel Sommer' - USA 1961. Very wide flowers, up to 16 in (40 cm) wide. Leaves have a green-brown underside. Erect. Hardiness: 0°F (-18°C)
• 'Simpson's Hardy' - USA. Hardiness: -25°F (-32°C)
• 'Spring Grove' - USA. Hardiness: -22°F (-30°C)
• 'Silver Tip'
• 'Timeless Beauty' - USA. Blooms through a long period, large flowers. Hardiness: 3°F (-16°C)
• 'Treveyi' (= 'François Treyve') - Obtained in 1871. Medium-sized flowers.
• 'Tulsa' - USA 1988. Medium-sized flowers. Leaves with a green-brown underside. Hardiness: -13°F (-25°C)
• 'Twenty Four Below' - USA. Hardiness, as its name suggests, -24°F (-31°C)
• 'Variegata' - As its name suggests, variegated leaves.
• 'Victoria' - Canada 1930. Erect, compact. Hardiness: -13°F (-25°C)

Leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, with a leaf stem which is about .8-1 in (2-2.5 cm) long. They are glossy green on the upper side, and brown on the underside when young. They are about 10 in (25 cm) long and 4 in (10 cm) wide.

Flowers are monoecious, terminal and solitary. They are fragrant and white with yellow stamens. They can be up to 10-12 in (25-30 cm) wide. Flowers mainly appear during mid-spring and early-summer, and more scarcely in early-fall.

Fruits of Magnolia grandiflora are green-red to brown-red with a red stem, and have a conelike shape.

Magnolia grandiflora requiert les expositions suivantes : lumière,soleil

This tree prefers a slightly acidic, light, drained soil that remains fairly moist. It can however grow in slightly alcaline soils.