| General Description | A small deciduous tree that is easily identified by its massive leaves, which are the largest of any native North American tree – measuring 81 cm long by 30 cm wide. It has fairly large creamy-white flowers.
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| ID Characteristic | Can be identified by its thin, leather-like grey bark which is fairly smooth. The branches are generally spread out, thick and hang down with some leaf scars. The leaves are very large, are bright green in colour on top and are silvery-grey on the bottom side. |
| Landscape | Bigleaf Magnolia may be used in parks, campuses, forests and other urban-to-rural settings. |
| Cultivation | Best grown in moist, well-drained loamy soil that is rich with nutrients and organic matter. Keep in full sun to part shade. Cannot tolerate most urban pollutants. Must be protected from strong winds, as they can rip off its oversized leaves. If recently planted, it could take up to 4 or more years before you see the first bloom appear. |
| Habitat | Lower valleys safe from harsh winds. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Fairly thin, grey and soft bark that is generally smooth but has some scattered surface bumps. It also carries yellow-green furry twigs that range from 38 mm to 50 mm long. These twigs are coated in white, woolly hairs, which is generally described as hirsute. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Large, tomentose, light green terminal buds that are 1 cm to 2.5 cm long. |
| Leaf Description | Very large, thin oval-shaped leaves that measure 51 cm to 76cm long and up to 305 cm wide. The leaves grow off the branch alternately and have a reticulate structure. |
| Flower Description | Its flowers can grow up to 50 cm in diameter and are creamy-white in colour. The three inner petals have a hint of purple towards the base. The flowers have 6 - 8 overlapping petals and are similarly shaped to the leaves because they are fairly narrow and long. |
| Fruit Description | Small, round reddish-pink fruits that are generally 7.6 cm long. When fully mature, each fruit splits open along a vertical line to release seeds inside. |
| Colour Description | Its foliage is dark green in the summer months dark brown in autumn. The flowers are creamy-white with small hints of purple on the inner 3 petals. |
| Texture Description | The texture of the tree is overall smooth. The bark is very soft to the point of being imprint-able. The leaves are smooth yet slightly leathery and the buds are tomentose. |