Magnolia virginiana var. australis (Evergreen Sweetbay Magnolia)
2007 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winner
Magnolia virginiana var. australis (Evergreen Sweetbay Magnolia); This evergreen variety of an old Kentucky favorite makes an excellent garden plant. Plants will grow 20-30' tall with upright outline and dark, thick glossy green leaves with white undersides. Two-inch-wide, lemon-scented creamy flowers grace the plant in late spring and sporadically through the summer. The fragrant blooms contribute significantly to the plants appeal. An excellent choice for full sun or part shade in any reasonable soil. Cultivars: 'Henry Hicks', 'Northern Bell', 'Aiken County', 'Green Bay' syn. 'Green Shadow' (Mike Dirr says it is from Don Shadow selection of J.C . McDaniels seedlings). Magnolia virginiana var. australis or the species are not considered native to Kentucky but are found in the coastal areas from Mass. to FL with several seemingly random states thrown in: Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.