Do Magnolia Trees Bloom and Turn Brown in Winter?

Identification

• Magnolias vary in their hardiness ranges, depending on species. Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), for instance, is native to the southeastern United States and does well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. Sweet bay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is also native to the eastern U.S. and hardy in USDA zones 5 through 10. Although many are native to the U.S. and grow well in landscapes, others hail from Mexico, Central America, the West Indies and parts of Asia.

Flowers

• Magnolias flower either in spring or in summer. Some species, like sweet bay magnolia, bloom first in spring or early summer and then might continue to flower sporadically throughout the rest of the growing season. Others, like the cucumber tree (Magnolia acuminata), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, may bloom in early to mid-spring and be done. Keep in mind if you’ve planted a magnolia from seed that it might take up to 20 years to bloom for the first time.

Leaves

• Magnolia trees are deciduous, evergreen or semi-evergreen. Deciduous trees lose their leaves every season, while evergreen trees keep them. An evergreen magnolia should not turn brown in winter, while a deciduous tree, depending on leaf persistence, may. Semi-evergreen trees might be evergreen in some years, when weather is warmer over the winter months, and then drop their leaves and turn brown during colder years, or they may simply drop some of their leaves. Southern magnolia, for instance, becomes partially deciduous in hard winters.

Other Seasonal Changes

• Besides flowering, magnolias are often known for their interesting seedpods. Cucumber tree gets its name from pods that look like the vegetable, while Southern magnolia produces cone-like pods that develop into red seeds suspended on white threads in late summer or fall. Many deciduous species, like cucumber tree, produce good golden fall foliage. Many evergreen magnolias are prized for their shiny evergreen foliage throughout the winter, especially in warmer gardens.