Magnolia Trees Native to South Carolina

Cucumber Magnolia

• Cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminate) takes its name from its cone-like fruit, which resembles a cucumber. Growing native in northwest South Carolina, the cucumber tree develops between 50 and 80 feet tall. Used to provide shade or as a specimen plant, cucumber magnolia possesses foliage as long as 12 inches and it blooms during the spring. Its flowers often are hard to see because the leaves obscure them, but they are green-white and aromatic. Cultivars of cucumber magnolia include "Miss Honeybee," "Ellen" and "Gold Crown."

Bigleaf Magnolia

• Living up to its name with foliage as long as 32 inches long and 12 inches wide, bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) is native in sections of southeast South Carolina. Protect it from windy sites, or the leaves tear apart and the branches break. The leaves of this tree are very slow to decompose, advises the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Locating it where ground cover grows keeps the leaves from becoming a litter problem. Bigleaf magnolia grows to 40 feet and generates 12-inch wide white flowers during May into July.

Pyramid Magnolia

• Pyramid magnolia (Magnolia pyramidata) is a tree of the southern coastal plains. It grows in South Carolina along the coast, attaining heights of 40 feet in damp valleys. Its pyramidal shape and 4-inch wide cream white spring flowers make it a good choice as an ornamental species. Pyramid magnolia is deciduous, with the leaves up to 9 inches long.

Umbrella Magnolia

• Found native in scattered locations across South Carolina, umbrella magnolia (Magnolia tripetala) is small, just 15 to 30 feet high. Umbrella magnolia features ash-gray bark, leaves up to 24 inches long and flowers that have a rank smell, notes the University of Connecticut Plant Database. Use it as a specimen plant or place it in naturalized areas of the landscape.

Southern Magnolia

• Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a large tree, with some as tall as 80 feet. Southern magnolia is a coastal plains species in South Carolina, able to thrive in full sun or partly shady conditions. Southern magnolia is evergreen, flowers in spring and then on and off during summer, with its flowers shaped like saucers. The white flowers are 12 inches across, fragrant and emerge singly on the branches.

Sweetbay Magnolia

• Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) grows everywhere in South Carolina except for the northwest sections. Sweetbay magnolia grows between 40 and 60 feet and it is evergreen in the warm climate of the state. The flowers give off a lemon aroma, giving this tree great appeal in a landscape. Sweetbay magnolia is tolerant of damp soil, but requires acidic soil in which to develop.