MAGNOLIA, a genus of ornamental, de ciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs of the family Magnoliacec•. The 35 species are natives mostly of the United States, India, China and Japan. They are characterized by large, alter nate entire leaves, large white, purple or pink, sometimes yellowish, solitary, terminal flowers, which are often highly fragrant; and cone shaped, often red, decorative fruits. They are widely planted for ornament in parks and gar dens; most of the deciduous species being tolerably hardy as far north as Massachusetts, some even farther north, but the evergreen kinds tender even at Washington, where, how ever, one species (M. grandiflora) can with stand the winters if in protected situations. The wood is close-grained, generally soft, spongy, light and satiny. It is little used be cause it is not durable, but in Japan one species (M. hypoleuca) is used for lacquering. The bark and the fruits of a few species were formerly employed as stimulants and tonics, but have fallen into disuse.
As a rule, magnolias thrive best in rather rich, fairly open, moist, peaty or sandy loarns, but generally prove satisfactory upon any garden soil. A few, especially the beaver tree (M. glauca), which is also popularly known as sweet, swamp or white bay, are natives of very wet grounds and must be naturally well supplied with water, when planted for ornament. They may be propa gated by means of layers, by grafts or by seeds planted as soon as ripe or stratified in sand and kept out of doors where they cannot become dry. The plants should be transplanted when
the new growth is commencing, otherwise the operation is frequently unsuccessful.
The following species are among the most generally planted in the United States. The bull bay or big laurel (M. grandiflora) is found naturally from North Carolina to the Gulf States. It is a pyramidal, evergreen tree which often attains heights of 75 feet or more, and is especially conspicuous when in blossom, its fra grant white flowers often attaining a diameter of a foot. The swamp sassafras or sweet bay (M. glauca) ranges from the coast region of Massachusetts to Florida and irregularly south westward to Texas. It reaches a height of 20 feet and bears fragrant cream-colored flowers. The cucumber trees (q.v.) are natives of the southeastern United States and are particularly attractive because of their pink fruits. Of the exotic species the yulan (M. denudata), a native of China, where it has been cultivated for more than a thousand years, and M. coca, M. liliflora and M. hypoleuca are popular, the first and last particularly. By crossing, hybridizing and selection a large number of choice horticultural varieties have been produced.