Features

• Magnolia flowers vary in size and color. For example, the star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) produces pink or white flowers measuring 3 to 4 inches in diameter, while the southern magnolia (M. grandiflora) bears cream-colored flowers up to 12 inches wide. Other species and cultivars produce purple, green, and yellow flowers ranging in diameter from 2 to 12 inches.
  
  

Time Frame

• Some magnolia varieties, such as saucer (M. x soulangiana) and star magnolias, bloom as early as February or March, before leaves appear. Others, including sweet bay (M. virginiana) and southern magnolias, bloom in May and June, and sometimes into September.
  
  

Considerations

• Although magnolias are relatively pest-free, wildlife sometimes feed on the flowers and seeds. According to the Clemson University Cooperative Extension, saucer magnolia flowers are especially vulnerable to early freeze damage.