Different Species of Magnolias

Cold-Hardy Magnolias

• Yellow Bird is a hybrid magnolia adapted to withstand the cold associated with a USDA zone-4 winter. Yellow Bird also differs from many magnolias in that its flowers are yellow. Shaped like small goblets, the flowers bloom in April. Yellow Bird grows between 20 and 40 feet. The cucumber tree (Magnolia acuminata) grows as far north as New York in the warmer portions of zone 3. Maturing between 50 and 80 feet high, it features spreading limbs, leaves as long as 12 inches, green-white flowers and seedpods resembling cucumbers.

Warm-Climate Magnolias

• While certain cultivars of the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) survive in USDA zone 5, such as Bracken's Brown beauty, the parent species is suitable only for zones 7 through 9. Southern magnolia has vibrant, aromatic flowers and dark evergreen foliage, leading the Missouri Botanical Garden to describe the tree as "magnificent." Southern magnolia grows to 80 feet in full sunshine. Swamp magnolia is a type of sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) that grows into USDA zones 8, 9 and 10. It grows as high as 60 feet in these hot climates, generating white flowers from May through August.

Nonnative Magnolias

• The star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is a Japanese native that will grow into USDA zone 4. It remains small enough at 15 to 20 feet for use on a patio or as a specimen plant to spice up smaller yards. The 4-inch wide flowers make the tree quite showy when it blooms during spring. Another Japanese magnolia, kobus magnolia (Magnolia kobus), blooms during March and April between USDA zones 5 and 9. It grows to 30 feet, but slowly, allowing its use as an informal hedge.

Shrub Magnolias

• Waterlily is a star magnolia cultivar that takes the form of a shrub, growing to just 20 feet high at most. Waterlily's flowers are slightly bigger than those of the parent species, emerging in March and resembling the blossoms of water lilies. Magnolia Ricki is a hybrid shrub form of magnolia that produces a purple-red flower, but later in the growing season. Flowers are still on this magnolia well into May. It grows between 8 and 12 feet, with the flowers sometimes blooming again during the summer.