Every season offers its own distinct charm. Spring is replete with color, summer radiates vibrance, and fall showcases abundance.
While I love winter’s peaceful slumber, I can’t help but yearn for a little bit of elegance in my garden.
The crimson branches of red twig dogwoods and texture of paperbark maples provides interest, but I would love a little greenery.
Evergreen magnolias to the rescue!
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Even in the dark doldrums of January, the cinnamon and deep green leaves and persistent red fruits of southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) bring welcome cheer.
They shade the hellebores in my neighbor’s garden from the winter sun, nod gracefully outside my bedroom window in the February breeze, and line the streets of my little town, adorned with holiday decorations.
Evergreen magnolias awaken the winter landscape.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the finest options, highlighting those with exceptional form or impressive flower size. Here’s a preview:
Best Evergreen Magnolias
When gardeners talk about evergreen magnolias, they typically mean southern magnolias, which are reliably evergreen in Zones 7 to 10.
But there are a few other species that are semi-evergreen, like bigleaf (M. macrophylla) and sweetbay (M. virginiana) magnolias. These retain their leaves in warmer regions and shed them in cooler climates.
Sweetbays are hardy in Zones 5 to 10 and bigleafs thrive in Zones 5 to 8.
Depending on your location and chosen cultivar, the trees might remain evergreen anywhere from Zones 5 to 10.
1. Alta
Alta™ (M. grandiflora ‘TMGH’) has a compact growth habit and stays extremely dense, with tightly packed, short branches.
It can eventually grow up to 50 feet tall and about half as wide with a columnar shape, though it takes a long time to reach that size.
The tree probably won’t even reach a third of its eventual height in 10 years.
The foliage is small and densely packed, leaves have dark green tops and rusty undersides. The white flowers are small but abundant. Alta™ was introduced by Monrovia.
2. Bracken’s Brown Beauty
With its five- to six-inch flowers and impressive glossy green leaves, ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ is an unbeatable option if you have the space.
It has a dense habit with smaller flowers and leaves than the species.
It slowly grows to about 50 feet tall and 30 feet wide, though usually stays much smaller.
But what makes it really special is that it grows reliably down to Zone 5, so even those in colder regions can enjoy the glory of M. grandiflora.
The name honors Ray Bracken of Ray Bracken Nurseries in South Carolina.
He discovered the seedling in a batch of southern magnolias, and refined it before releasing it in 1968.
This cultivar has remained popular for colder climate growers who dream of a southern magnolia ever since.
3. Claudia Wannamaker
M. grandiflora ‘Claudia Wannamaker’ starts blooming at a young age, producing huge, perfumed flowers that reach up to 10 inches in diameter.
The flowers persist on the trees for weeks and weeks.
It’s not quite as cold hardy as some other southern cultivars and should be grown in Zone 7b and up. The leaves are smaller than the species.
This cultivar was bred by Johnny Brailsford of Orangeburg, Vice President of Shady Grove Plantation and Nursery in South Carolina.
‘Claudia Wannamaker’ is a fast grower, adding about 36 inches in height per year. Ultimately, she stays a manageable 40 feet tall with a round canopy that reaches about 25 feet wide.
4. Coco
Growing to about 50 feet tall, M. grandiflora ‘Coco’ has a dense habit and a beautiful conical shape that reaches about 20 feet wide.
Sadly, it’s not quite as hardy as some others on this list and can only survive in Zones 7 and up. But if you live in the right climate, it’s a stellar option. It will even bloom in partial shade.
Don’t confuse this cultivar with the coconut magnolia (M. coco), a species endemic to Florida.
5. D.D. Blanchard
Delightful ‘D.D. Blanchard’ is no shrinking violet. This statuesque southern magnolia beauty matures at over 80 feet tall and 40 feet wide, with a strong central leader and a triangular shape.
The leaves are proportionally larger than those of the species, with a deep green hue. The glorious flowers are about eight inches in diameter.
It was brought to market by Red Robbins of Robbins Nursery in Willard, North Carolina. Use it as a focal point or a tall screen. You can find it at Nature Hills Nursery.
6. Edith Bogue
This cultivar has made a name for itself ever since Edith Bogue found a seedling in a Florida nursery in 1917.
Ms. Bogue was an amateur grower, as well as a respected equestrian and violinist, in New Jersey who cultivated the seedling and refined its breeding to produce the magnificent plant we know today.
She shared cuttings and the plant became well-known and well-loved.
‘Edith Bogue’ is an M. grandiflora cultivar that grows up to 60 feet tall and 30 feet wide with huge, foot-wide flowers.
Even better, it’s winter hardy and thrives in Zone 6 winters where many southern magnolias falter or suffer winter damage.
You can find ‘Edith Bogue’ in a variety of sizes available at Fast Growing Trees.
7. Green Giant
Yes, ‘Green Giant’ is big, but what I really love about it besides the grand size, is that the young leaves are a glossy golden color with green undersides.
Speckled in amongst the older glossy mid-green leaves with matte, bronze undersides, they provide a striking appearance.
The color sets it apart from other M. grandiflora types, but the one-foot-wide blossoms are what you expect from a southern magnolia.
The large red seed cones add an exciting element of interest beyond the huge summertime blossoms.
It has an upright shape with an ultimate height of 60 feet and a width of 30 feet.
You can find ‘Green Giant’ available at Nature Hills Nursery.
8. Greenback
Greenback™ (M. grandiflora ‘MGTIG’) is named for the all-green leaves as this cultivar doesn’t have the typical bronze-brown hairs on the undersides of the foliage.
These green leaves are much smaller than those of the species. Greenback™ has an extremely dense, pyramidal form and grows up to 35 feet tall and about 20 feet wide, though it can stay much smaller depending on the environment.
The large, highly fragrant flowers are about eight inches in diameter.
9. Hasse
Need a narrow option to use as a screen or towering specimen? M. grandiflora ‘Hasse’ should be top of your list.
The narrow, upright form reaches just 35 feet tall and 10 feet wide. ‘Hasse’ also makes an exceptional option for espalier.
The large, leathery leaves have lovely cinnamon-colored undersides that creates a strong contrast and adds texture.
The dark green and bronze hue is accented by foot-wide flowers starting in late spring and lasting through mid-summer.
On the downside, the root system tends to be robust and shallow, so it isn’t the best option for next to sidewalks or driveways.
But give it a nice garden or lawn to spread out in and you’ll enjoy a towering treat.
10. Henry Hicks
‘Henry Hicks’ might be a M. virginiana cultivar, but it’s not about to shed its leaves in the cold.
This cultivar will remain evergreen all the way down to Zone 5b.
The whitish-gray undersides of the leaves flash and dance in the breeze, and when it’s in bloom, you’ll have trouble looking away!
The flowers can persist all summer long and are heavily fragrant. The trees are narrow, growing up to 50 feet tall and 25 feet wide.
11. Kay Parris
If you ask any magnolia expert or hobbyist to name one of the best evergreen magnolias, M. grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’ is going to be on the list.
‘Kay Parris’ was introduced by Gilbert Nurseries after Kevin Parris found an aggregate of follicles – that is, the colorful cone of arils or seeds – among a batch of ‘Little Gem’ cuttings he was working with in 1991.
He told himself that if any of the seedlings were promising, he’d name them after his mother, who had recently passed away.
And one seedling did indeed turn out to be promising. It had wavy, narrow leaves, flowered young, and had a pleasing growth pattern.
He believes the seedling that ultimately became ‘Kay Parris’ was a cross between ‘Little Gem’ and ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty.’
It became extremely popular in South Carolina by 2000, and rapidly spread from there.
Today, this cultivar is celebrated for its flowers that last all summer, its drought tolerance, the appealing wavy margins of the leaves, and the velvety undersides that just demand to be touched.
‘Kay Parris’ has a dense growth habit and matures quickly to a height of 30 feet and a 15-foot spread.
It’s even winter hardy enough to survive down to Zone 6. You can find ‘Kay Parris’ available at Nature Hills Nursery.
12. Little Gem
‘Little Gem’ is a hugely popular M. grandiflora cultivar. It has captured hearts and a spot in many gardens across the globe thanks to its compact, narrow form and glossy dark green foliage.
The leaves are a bit smaller than those of the species, with matte, faintly bronze or green undersides.
We have nurseryman Warren Steed to thank for this gem. He bred it in Candor, North Carolina from a chance seedling in 1952 and released it to market in 1966.
If you’re interested in southern magnolias, but you don’t have the space they typically require, this is a perfect option because it only grows to 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide at most, often remaining much smaller.
Plus, it takes a long time to get there, reaching its full size after 20 years or more.
You can train it as espalier, let it take front and center in the garden, or plant a few as a tall border. Those neighbors with the ugly yard? Block ‘em out!
Pop over to Fast Growing Trees to snag yourself a ‘Little Gem’ tree in a variety of sizes.
13. Majestic Beauty
The leaves of M. grandiflora ‘Majestic Beauty’ live up to their name.
They’re dark green, extra glossy, and grow up to nine inches long, practically eclipsing the eight-inch creamy white flowers.
‘Majestic Beauty’ doesn’t like hot climates and does best in Zones 7 to 9, where it will grow to about 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide, with a symmetrical oval or pyramidal shape.
Trim up the lower limbs to use it as a street tree, or let it take center stage in a large garden.
14. Margaret Davis
Quick growing M. grandiflora ‘Margaret Davis’ has some gigantic blossoms, which is saying a lot for a species that is already known for its big flowers.
They can be a foot wide or even a little bigger. And when I say quick growing, that’s not an exaggeration. This is one of the fastest growing evergreen magnolias available.
Introduced by Shady Grove Nursery of Orangeburg, South Carolina in 1988, it has a conical growth habit that maxes out at about 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide at the widest point, making it ideal for smaller gardens or for planting along streets.
15. Miss Chloe
Bred by Cherrylake, a landscape company in Groveland, Florida, M. grandiflora ‘Miss Chloe’ was bred to have evenly-spaced limbs that attach to the central leader at a 45 degree angle, giving the tree a picture-perfect conical shape.
It has a full, dense habit and rapidly reaches about 80 feet tall, which is much taller than most cultivars and almost as tall as the species. It also reaches about 35 feet wide.
The blossoms are huge, up to a foot in diameter with pink stamens that contrast beautifully with the white.
Most southern magnolias have burgundy stamens.
16. Moonglow
Moonglow® is a sweetbay magnolia (M. virginiana) that is also sold under the name ‘Jim Wilson.’ While it grows happily in Zones 5 to 10, it’s only reliably evergreen in Zones 7 and up.
For those in the right Zones, the 35-foot-tall tree with a 20-foot spread will show off year-round with its rich, green foliage with silver undersides.
In the late spring, creamy white flowers with their sweet, lemony fragrance pop up and remain through summer.
If you’re ready to bask in the glow of this evergreen beauty, you can find plants available at Nature Hills Nursery.
17. Northern Belle
This elegant lady is much tougher than she looks.
M. virginiana ‘Northern Belle’ will remain evergreen all the way down to Zone 5 or even in Zone 4 if planted on the south side of a brick, wood, or concrete wall.
But she’s just as happy in hot, humid climates like you find in the American south.
‘Northern Belle’ starts blooming in early summer and keeps going until fall. She grows quickly, reaching about 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide when mature, with a narrow or oval habit.
18. Palmberg
While M. macrophylla can survive down to Zone 5, ‘Palmberg’ will only stay evergreen to Zone 7.
Given the right climate, this cultivar is a glorious option that grows to about 40 feet tall and 25 feet wide with flowers that are larger than the species – measuring up to 12 inches across.
Combined with the characteristically massive leaves, this bigleaf magnolia cultivar makes an outsized statement.
19. Russet
With a narrow canopy on a tree that reaches up to 50 feet tall, M. grandiflora ‘Russet’ makes a grand statement in the landscape.
In the right conditions and with enough space, it can reach up to 80 feet tall, but generally stays just 20 feet or so wide.
It’s known for blooming young and for the deep russet of the dense indumentum on the undersides of the narrow leaves.
The white, lemon-scented flowers grow to about eight inches in diameter.
Maunsell van Rensellaer, director of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in Santa Cruz, California, selected this southern magnolia in 1952 and it was stabilized and released by the Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation in 1966.
20. Samuel Sommer
‘Samuel Sommer’ is a medium-sized southern magnolia cultivar that grows to about 40 feet tall and 30 feet at the widest point. It has an oval to vase-like shape.
The abundant flowers can be up to 12 inches in diameter.
Though ‘Samuel Sommer’ isn’t cold hardy enough to survive down to Zone 6 like some other southern cultivars, it’s pretty darn tough in Zones 7 and up.
It was selected by the director of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in Santa Cruz, California, Maunsell van Rensselaer.
21. Sweet Thing
Sweet Thing® (M. virginiana var. australis ‘Perry Paige’) is a tough, adaptable sweetbay magnolia cultivar that is evergreen down to Zone 5.
George Dodson of Sleepy Hollow Nursery in McMinnville, Tennessee, and Fernando Boyd of Boyd Nursery Company in Morrison, Tennessee bred this beauty and registered it on April 15, 2004.
Dodson stumbled across a seedling growing at his nursery that seemed to be extremely compact. At maturity, it only grows to about 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
It demonstrates superior pest and disease resistance to the species plant.
22. Teddy Bear
This sweet southern cultivar is sometimes called ‘Southern Charm,’ and charming it certainly is. The tree only grows to about 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide, with a dense habit.
‘Teddy Bear’ makes an adorable accent or specimen magnolia for a small space. It can even be grown in a container on the patio.
In spite of its diminutive size, the flowers aren’t proportionately smaller. The creamy blooms grow up to eight inches in diameter.
Bring home a live plant in a seven-gallon container from Home Depot.
23. Timeless Beauty
M. grandiflora ‘Timeless Beauty’ features deep green and bronze foliage, above which are heaps and heaps of blossoms that remain on the plant from late spring until fall.
The foliage is finer than that of the species, with a more narrow shape.
At maturity, it will be about 20 feet tall and 25 feet wide, with a compact, rounded vase shape, making ‘Timeless Beauty’ a lovely shade option for a small garden down to Zone 6.
Make Winter Exciting
The large leaves of an evergreen magnolia dusted in snow certainly livens up the winter landscape.
When everything else in the garden is bare, any one of these trees will truly stand out. And then you’ve got the flowers to look forward to, heralding the arrival of spring!
Are you growing evergreen magnolias? Which cultivar is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section below!
And for more information about growing magnolias in your landscape, add these guides to your reading list next:
