Mountain Magnolia Magnolia fraseri
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Paramagnolia fraseri
- Phonetic Spelling
- mag-NO-lee-ah frah-SER-ee
- Description
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Fraser magnolia is a small, deciduous, flowering ornamental tree native to the southeastern United States in the Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont regions and belongs to the magnolia family (Magnoliaceae). Its native habitat is hardwood forests in the mountain valleys. The specific epithet fraseri honors the Scottish botanist, John Fraser. Fraser magnolia grows 30-40 feet tall, with a broad, rounded canopy, spreading branches, coarse foliage, and showy flowers. Its leaves are large, dark green, smooth, and whorled in clusters at the ends of the branches. The scented, creamy white to pale yellow flowers appear in the spring and measure up to 8 inches in diameter.
Prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained, loamy, sandy, slightly acidic to neutral soil. It is hardy in zones 5 to 8 and is usually less hardy than other magnolia species. Recommend planting in a site protected from strong winds. This tree requires very little maintenance. Remove any dead or diseased limbs. Best propagated by seeds or cuttings.
In North Carolina, it is typically found in rich coves and slopes of the Appalachian Mountains at elevations of 2000 to 4000 feet. Many Fraser magnolias can be seen while driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway and are fairly common in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
May be used as a specimen tree or placed in woodland or naturalized area. The large showy flowers will add interest to the landscape in the spring.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: Monitor for ambrosia beetles and magnolia scale. May be susceptible to cankers, fungal diseases, powdery mildew, and leaf spot.
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Magnolia fraseri var. fraseri
Variety native to West Virginia to Northern Georgia - Magnolia fraseri var. pyramidata
Variety native to the Southeastern United States to Texas
- Magnolia fraseri var. fraseri
- Magnolia fraseri var. fraseri, Magnolia fraseri var. pyramidata
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Magnolia fraseri var. fraseri
Variety native to West Virginia to Northern Georgia - Magnolia fraseri var. pyramidata
Variety native to the Southeastern United States to Texas
- Magnolia fraseri var. fraseri
- Magnolia fraseri var. fraseri, Magnolia fraseri var. pyramidata
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Magnolia
- Species:
- fraseri
- Family:
- Magnoliaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Wood is light, weak, and easily worked. Used for lumber or pulpwood, but usually in places where there are no alternatives.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- West Virginia to Texas
- Distribution:
- Native: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia. It is found in a relatively small strip of the eastern US along the Appalachian Mountains from West Virginia south to the northern tip of Georgia.
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruit attracts birds and small mammals. Wildlife eats the fruit and disperses the seeds. Larval host plant for some butterflies and moths, such as the black swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, and eastern tiger swallowtails
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Dimensions:
- Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Open
- Pyramidal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is cucumber-shaped, oblong, 4 to 5 inches long, a cone-like aggregate of fleshy, seeded follicles. The cone is initially bright red and turns dark brown as it ages. Once mature, the red drupe-like seeds are contained in a carpel, or cell. The seeds are fleshy and measure up to 1/3 inch long. It displays from July to August.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- > 6 inches
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are solitary, fragrant, with creamy white to pale yellow tepals. Each bloom measures 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Each petal measures 3 to 5 inches long. Each perfect flower has up to 100-200 stamens and up to 50-90 pistils. Blooms from April to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Subulate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are simple, alternate, smooth, oblong to obovate, measuring 16 to 20 inches long and up to 8 inches wide, with entire margins. The leaf tips may be pointed or rounded, and the base is auriculate. The leaves appear in a whorl-like cluster at the end of the branches. The upper surface of the leaf is deep green and smooth, and the underside is paler, dull, and smooth.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Bark is smooth, grayish brown, but as the tree ages, the surface develops scaly plates.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Buds:
- Smooth/Hairless
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Description:
- The stems are stout and purplish-brown. Terminal winter buds are smooth, purplish-brown, and 1.5 to 2 inches long. Flower stalks are stout, up to 1.5 inches long and glaucous.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
