SCIENTIFIC NAME: Magnolia ashei

COMMON NAME: Ashe’s Magnolia

GARDEN SIZE: 20 to 35 feet tall by 15 to 25 feet wide

GROWTH RATE: Moderate

USDA ZONE: 6 to 9

EXPOSURE: Part shade; sheltered sites preferred

WATER & SOIL: Moist, rich, acidic soils; maintain consistent moisture; intolerant of drought

HABIT (FORM): Small deciduous tree with a broad, rounded crown

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; enormous 2–3 ft leaves, green above and whitish beneath

FLOWERS: Fragrant, creamy-white, cup-shaped blooms (6–8 petals); March–June; flowers even on very young plants

PLANT ORIGIN: Florida Panhandle; endemic to bluffs and bayheads

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Host plant for butterflies and moths from neighboring states, and could be a food source for pollinators, birds, and small mammals. Supplies shelter and nesting sites.

FERTILIZING: May fertilize lightly in the spring with organic compost; maintain acidic, organic soil

PRUNING: Minimal; prune after flowering only to shape or remove damaged wood

TOXICITY FLAGS: None known

USES: Specimen tree