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Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree

Magnolia virginiana

Regular price $7999
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Delivery and Shipping

Shipping

To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.

 

Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.

*If you have found your zone already, it will be highlighted in the table below.

Standard Shipping Rates

At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.

From To S&H
$0 $19.99 $24.99
$20 $49.99 $29.99
$50 $69.99 $34.99
$70 $99.99 $39.99
$100 $129.99 $44.99
$130 $149.99 $48.99
$150 $150+ Approx 28%

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Plant Highlights

Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree highlights at a glance!

Specifications

  • Brand
    Nature Hills' Choice
  • Botanical Name
    Magnolia virginiana
  • Growing Zones
    5-9
  • Mature Height
    15 - 25 feet
  • Mature Spread
    10 - 30 feet
  • Sun Exposure
    Full Sun
  • Moisture
    Moderate
  • Soil
    Widely Adaptable
  • Growth Rate
    Fast, Medium
  • Flower Color
    White
  • Fall Color
    Evergreen In Frost Free Winters
  • Pollinator Friendly
    Yes
  • Fragrant
    Yes
  • Pruning Time
    After Flowering
  • Bloom Period
    Late Spring, Summer

Fragrant Ornamental Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree

  • Versatile, Adaptable & Easy-Care
  • Fragrant, Creamy-White Flowers Smell Fresh & Clean
  • Blooms Spring into Summer
  • Glossy Green Leaves Flash Silver in the Sun
  • Red Berries Feed Local Songbirds
  • Works Beautifully in Wet Areas & Humid Summers
  • Can Be Planted Near Houses

Looking for an elegant tree with an airy, open style to use as a specimen in your landscape? Charming native Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) has an easy-care nature. This beautiful tree is a wonderful choice for many modern landscape applications.

Like many native trees, you can guess that it has several nicknames. If you live further South, you’ll likely know it by Sweetbay Magnolia or Swamp Magnolia. If you have mild winters, Sweet Bay leaves will likely remain on the tree all year long. In colder climates, the leaves are deciduous and fall off for winter. Our horticulture team calls it a “semi-evergreen.”

Any way you spell it or see it – you’ll definitely smell it! All parts of the Sweet Bay Magnolia are fragrant. The roots, branches, and leaves smell sweet and spicy, a bit like vanilla.

The lovely, creamy flowers layer in a hint of lemon fragrance. Sweet Bay Magnolia flowers perfume your entire yard for many weeks in spring and summer.

The compact Sweet Bay Magnolia is a fast-growing showpiece with enormous ornamental appeal. It features a long blooming period. You'll enjoy the lovely three-inch, pure-white flowers in May after all chances of frost, and sporadically throughout the early summer as well. They are infused with a fresh, citrusy scent that is never heavy or cloying.

Even the leaves are very attractive. Up to five inches long, symmetrical leaves are dark green on the top with a glossy surface. The underneath has a silvery, waxy, glaucous coating that truly shimmers in the sunlight. You will be forgiven for staring at the sophisticated effect as the slightest breeze catches them to flash that delightful underside of silvery-white.

Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree is a joy to watch no matter what the time of year. Even when the flowers have faded and the fruit is not yet obvious, you'll be surprised by the captivating sight a simple breeze drifting through its leaves creates.

The smooth bark of the Sweet Bay has a metallic gray overcast, which adds a tremendous amount of visual appeal. Showy, red-seeded fruit slowly emerges from their green casing in fall, but you’ll need to look quickly. Birds love the red seeds and they can be gone as fast as you spy them.

Butterflies love this tree, too. Don’t be surprised to see many more of them in your yard when you include one or more in your planting design.

The Sweet Bay Magnolia is an ornamental tree with a lot to offer. It would make a lovely addition to your landscape.

How to Use Sweet Bay Magnolia in the Landscape

With a nice root system, it’s ok to use the Sweet Bay Magnolia near your house. Give it at least 15 feet of room, so you can easily access your exterior.

Site one near the corner of your house to be a beautiful anchor in your foundation planting. Or, if you have the space, use one on either side of your front entrance. Prune to shape them into a marvelous arched allée to give a grand entrance and instant curb appeal.

This is not a tree that will overpower your home’s architecture. Rather, it will become an effective accent.

Use several in a long lawn planting, or in a berm planting. Make life easier for yourself! Mulch underneath, and plant them 15 feet away from concrete. You won’t have to fuss with any fallen flowers that way, although it’s easy enough to mow them up.

We love the natural look created by using 3, 5, or 7 of them in a grouping. Use it near your patio, picture window, front entrance – anywhere you’ll see it from indoors and smell it outside.

A fun way to use this wispy tree is to include it in a Child’s Garden of the Senses. It provides ample shade over a play structure and can be sited to the west to block the afternoon sun. What a wonderful memory to help your children create, playing under the fragrant Sweet Bay tree.

Because they tolerate periodic flooding, you can site them in a location that gets plenty of water. Create a Rain Garden to help filter captured rainwater. Or, plant them along a water feature, creek, or pond. They’ll thrive in woodland settings, as well.

#ProPlantTips for Care

With no real pests or diseases, the Sweet Bay makes a great selection for mass planting as a tall shrub border. To achieve a solid screen, plant them 8 feet on center. You’ll measure from the center of one to the center of the next.

This is a superb native tree that is widely adapted. It will take wet soil, clay soil or dry soil. This is also a tree that can take being wet or long periods. Tolerant to many soil types, the Sweet Bay does well in heavy clay soils even when in the wettest conditions.

In its wild setting, it grows in coastal wetlands in acidic loamy soils. For the best performance, give it an acid fertilizer like Dr. Earth Acid Lover’s Organic and Natural Premium Fertilizer in spring and mid-summer to maintain low soil pH.

While it will grow in partial shade, please know that it flowers best in full sun.

Give it a regular schedule of supplemental water, if rainfall isn’t sufficient. This is especially important when the plants are young.

In the colder areas of Zones 5 and 6 – or in colder winters anywhere in the United States - the Sweet Bay can lose its leaves, grandly exposing the metallic trunk. Yes, you’ll even have winter appeal with the Sweet Bay Magnolia.

Prune as either a tree with a single central leader by removing all but one of the base stems. At the nursery, we often grow them with multiple trunks and that is a wonderful look, too. You can also allow all the base stems to grow to create a large shrub.

It grows into a natural column or vase shape. Follow the natural line of the tree while pruning for best results. Prune after the spring bloom.

When planting, be sure to study all the angles of your young tree. Carefully select the side you want to become the “face” of your tree. That’s the side you’ll see most often. If you have help planting the tree, get out there and make your decision with your team.

Disease and deer-resistant, this marvelous, ancient tree is a fabulous choice. Order yours from Nature Hills today!

Tree Form vs. Shrub Form

The details make all the difference in a garden. At Naturehills.com, we understand that little things like what form a plant is can greatly impact how you plan your landscape. So before you buy, don’t forget to check which form you’re getting.

Tree Form:

These are plants that have one stem coming from the ground. Plants can also be considered single stem when lower branches are removed to raise the height of the branching to a more desired height. Sometimes, you will hear a tree form referred to as a single stem.

Shrub Form:

These are bushy plants with many stems and branchings close to the ground. They are referred to as shrubs or bushes and are often shorter than their tree forms.

Customer Reviews

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K
Karen
My Sweet Bay Magnolia is BEAUTIFUL!!!

I am very happy. My Sweet Bay Magnolia arrived and it is much larger than I expected it would be, with healthy looking leaves and stem! I got it planted in my yard right away and I am hoping it does well. I am very excited to own this gorgeous tree. Thank you!

Dear Karen H.,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience with your Sweet Bay Magnolia! We’re thrilled to hear that it arrived larger than expected and looking so healthy—that’s always a joyful start. Planting it right away was a perfect move, as magnolias appreciate a fresh planting with room to grow strong.

As your tree settles in, be sure to water it thoroughly during dry spells and check that it’s getting enough sunlight—Sweet Bay Magnolias thrive in partial to full sun. Mulching nearby can also help retain moisture and keep the roots cool. If you ever have questions about watch points or best care practices, feel free to browse our planting guides or reach out; we’re always eager to help ensure your beautiful magnolia flourishes!

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

K
Karen
My Sweet Bay Magnolia is BEAUTIFUL!!!

I am very happy. My Sweet Bay Magnolia arrived and it is much larger than I expected it would be, with healthy looking leaves and stem! I got it planted in my yard right away and I am hoping it does well. I am very excited to own this gorgeous tree. Thank you!

Hi Karen,

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We're absolutely delighted to hear that your Sweet Bay Magnolia exceeded your expectations and arrived looking so healthy and vibrant. It sounds like you gave it a great start by planting it right away—doing so will definitely help the tree settle in and thrive in your yard.

If you ever have any questions about caring for your magnolia or want tips on how to keep those leaves lush and green, please don't hesitate to reach out. We also have a helpful care guide on our website that covers everything from watering schedules to ideal planting conditions which you might find useful.

Enjoy watching your gorgeous tree grow and flourish! We're so glad it found a beautiful home with you.

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

T
Tonya
Beautiful Healthy Tree!

The tree came with quite a few leaves, upright, full of life. I watered it potted daily for probably a week before I was able to plant it and it’s exhibiting new grown already!! Beautiful!!

Hello Tonya,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with your Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree! We’re thrilled to hear that it arrived healthy and full of life, and even more excited to know it’s already showing new growth. Your attentiveness—watering it daily before planting—really made a big difference in helping it establish strong roots.

If you’re continuing to nurture it in a container before planting outdoors, make sure it’s in well-draining soil and receives plenty of sunlight to encourage steady growth. Once planted, regular watering and some mulch will help keep that magnolia happy and healthy for years to come.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any tips or support as your tree grows—we’re here to help you every step of the way!

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

T
Tonya
Beautiful Healthy Tree!

The tree came with quite a few leaves, upright, full of life. I watered it potted daily for probably a week before I was able to plant it and it’s exhibiting new grown already!! Beautiful!!

Hello Tonya,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with your Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree! We're thrilled to hear it arrived full of life and that you’ve already noticed new growth — that’s a fantastic sign your tree is thriving under your care. Watering it daily while it was still potted was a great move to keep it hydrated before planting.

As it continues to grow, remember magnolias appreciate well-draining soil and a bit of mulch to retain moisture while protecting the roots. A spot with plenty of morning sun and some afternoon shade often helps keep them happy and healthy. If you ever need tips specific to nurturing magnolias throughout the seasons, feel free to reach out or explore our plant care resources on the site.

Thanks again for sharing your success and trust in NatureHills.com. We look forward to helping you care for your new tree as it continues to flourish beautifully!

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

D
Dandy
Fast growing

I purchased a sweetbay magnolia from Nature Hills because they said it grew fast. I will be watching it begin to grow again in the spring as my yard needs color!

Hello Dandy,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your Sweet Bay Magnolia tree! We’re delighted to hear you chose this fast-growing beauty to add color to your yard. Watching it burst back to life in the spring is such a rewarding experience, and these magnolias truly do bring lovely, fragrant foliage to any landscape.

To help your Sweet Bay Magnolia thrive, make sure it gets plenty of well-drained soil and accessed sun, as these conditions encourage vigorous growth. Light pruning, if needed, during the dormant season can also support its shape and health. If you haven’t already, our website features some great tips on mulching and watering that might come in handy throughout the seasons.

We can’t wait for you to enjoy the vibrant presence your Sweet Bay Magnolia will add to your yard—and we’re always here if you have any questions along the way!

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team