Sweetbay Magolia

Written By Morgan Tullos

Sweetbay Magnolia October 2025

Fragrant, Resilient, and Refined - A Versatile Magnolia for Modern Landscapes

At Triangle Nursery, we proudly grow and supply the Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia Virginiana) - a graceful, semi-evergreen prized for its fragrance, adaptability, and refined beauty. This Southern native offers creamy white, lemon-scented blooms throughout the warm months and performs reliably in a wide range of landscape settings.

For wholesale buyers, landscape professionals, and contractors seeking a Magnolia that blends ornamental elegance with dependable performance, the Sweetbay Magnolia is an exceptional choice for both commercial and residential installations across the continental U.S.

A Native Magnolia with Year-Round Appeal

The Sweetbay Magnolia stands out for its natural beauty and adaptability. Unlike the larger Southern magnolia cultivars, Sweetbay offers a more delicate, upright form and a lighter, airier texture - perform for modern and transitional landscape design.

Its fragrant, creamy white flowers bloom late spring into summer, attracting pollinators and adding visual interest long after many trees have finished flowering. Depending on the climate, Sweetbay can be deciduous or semi-evergreen, maintaining soft green foliage year-round in warmer zones.

Key Features

  • Botanical Name: Magnolia virginiana

  • Common Name: Sweetbay Magnolia

  • Maturity Size: 10’-835’ tall x 10’-20’ wide (depending on region and form)

  • Foliage: Lustrous green leaves with silvery undersides

  • Blooms: Creamy white, lemon-scented flowers, late spring through summer

  • Growth Habit: Upright, multi-stemmed or single-trunk form

  • Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5-9

  • Soil Preference: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils

  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

  • Uses: Accent tree, screen, border planting, or wet-site solution

Landscape Applications

Sweetbay Magnolia is highly versatile in nearly any landscape. It performs beautifully as a standalone specimen tree, in group plantings, or as a screening option for naturalized spaces. Its tolerance for moist and periodically wet soils also makes it ideal for retention areas, low-lying sites, and near ponds or water features - where many other species struggle.

Professional landscapers value Sweetbay Magnolia for its low maintenance, pest resistance, and refined form that suits both traditional and contemporary designs.

Ideal Uses:

  • Commercial and municipal landscapes

  • Residential properties and estates

  • Wetland and water-adjacent plantings

  • Accent trees in garden beds or courtyards

  • Screenings or soft borders in mixed plantings

Availability at Triangle Nursery

At Triangle Nursery, we offer Sweetbay Magnolia in multiple sizes

  • 3’ B&B

  • 4’ B&B

  • 5’ B&B

  • 6’ B&B

  • 8’ B&B

  • 10’ B&B

  • 12’B&B

Availability varies seasonally. Please contact our sales team for current inventory, wholesale pricing, and delivery options. Triangle Nursery provides wholesale plants to customers throughout Middle Tennessee and across the continental United States.

Care and Maintenance

Sweetbay Magnolia is a low-maintenance and easy to establish with proper site preparation.

  • Water: Prefers consistent moisture, especially during establishment.

  • Mulch: Apply 2-3 inches around the root zone to conserve moisture and protect roots.

  • Prune: Minimal pruning required; remove cross or damaged branches as needed.

  • Fertilize: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring for optimal growth.

With its adaptability and graceful growth habit, Sweetbay Magnolia thrives in a variety of site conditions - from full sun to filtered light, and from upland landscapes to wetter areas.

Why choose Triangle Nursery?

As a trusted wholesale grower in Middle Tennessee, Triangle Nursery, Inc. supplies premium-quality trees and shrubs to professional landscapers, contractors, and garden centers nationwide. Our Sweetbay Magnolias are grown for strong root systems, balanced structure, and reliable transplant performance - ensuring success in every landscape.

Whether you’re working on a large-scale commercial project or a refined residential design, Sweetbay Magnolia offers the fragrance, texture, and resiliance your clients will love.

Order or Request Availability

To check current stock or request a quote for your upcoming project, contact us today!

Phone: 931.668.8022
Email: trianglenurserytn@gmail.com
Availability Form: Access our current Availability here!

Serving Middle Tennessee and the continental U.S., Triangle Nursery is your trusted source for quality wholesale trees and shrubs - grown for performance and delivered with care!

Morgan Tullos
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