Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a large, magnificent evergreen yard tree, that provides deep shade on the hottest summer days. The creamy, large flowers bloom for much of the summer, followed by interesting seed pods, with red berries, each containing a seed, pushing out of the pod, when ripe. The large glossy leaves remain green year around, offering color in the dead of winter.
The giant flowers are fragrant, and mainly pollinated by beetles. The seeds/berries are food for squirrels, birds and other wildlife. The dense foliage provides cover for nesting birds.
Although leaves do not all shed at the same time, some shedding of old leaves does occur, and the large leaves can be a nuisance. The best cleanup of dropped leaves is by chopping with a rotary mower and leaving as a mulch. The tree rarely has any significant pests. The tree has a deep taproot and is highly resistant to hurricane damage.
The tree likes open areas with full sun, where it has room to achieve its most beautiful form. though it will grow more slowly as an understory in shady locations. It will grow in various soil types, as long as they are well drained. It prefers loamy soils rich in organic matter. It grows well in valleys along waterways, but not too close, as it cannot tolerate flooding. It tolerates acid soils.
Its native range is from the South Carolina coast to north Florida, thence along the Gulf Coast to east Texas. Its native range does not include upland areas more than 200 feet above sea level, though sometimes it is planted and survives outside its native range. These seeds are of the coastal South Carolina ecotype.
The tree is widely planted in cities, where is tolerates air pollution better than many other trees. One of the oldest planted trees at the White House in Washington, D.C. is a Southern Magnolia.
For planting, the fleshy berry pulp needs to be removed by the tedious job of soaking and rubbing. Then it can be fall planted, though best with protection from squirrels and other animals that may dig it up. Plant 1/4 inch deep, and it will germinate when it warms in the spring.
Natural conditions may also be simulated by cold stratification. These seeds are already prepared for this and need only to be placed in the refrigerator for 90-120 days. Open the package upon arrival and periodically to make sure the medium is moist but not soggy. If it is dry, mist it or add a few drops, using rainwater or distilled water.
Seeds are shipped free by first class letter - US only. No tracking. Please notify if not received within 10 days.
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NATIVES: This offering is part of our "natives" seeds and cuttings. We encourage the propagation of native plants, as these generally require less care and are of more benefit to the local environment. Our pollinators and songbirds are declining, and one reason for the loss is the planting of non-native plants that give them no support.
Non-native plants often require watering and high pesticide use. The pesticides are another reason for the decline of our pollinators and songbirds. Some non-native plants, like Bradford pear, and Privit have become highly invasive and destructive.
ECOTYPES: Our seeds and cuttings come from the Pee Dee region of South Carolina - Horry, Georgetown, Williamsburg and Florence Counties in the northeastern corner of the state. So these are of a coastal Carolina ecotype.
Why are ecotypes important? Many of our native plants have a wide range. For example, red maples are native throughout the entire eastern US, but there are variations within the species due to adaptation to local conditions. You can expect that those from your area will do better than one from far away, even though they are the same species.
NATIVITY RESOURCES ONLINE: You can find online info on native status for your area with the North American Plant Atlas, which is presented by The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). You must know the Genus and species, but then you can find county-by-county information. Another resource, which is a bit more clunky (to me) is the government Plants National Database, which does allow common names (but take care, as these have regional variations). Both online sites are easy to find online.
SEEDS: Our seeds are hand collected in season, and are in limited supply. While we try to clean these, we don't have the fancy machinery that large seed companies have, so there may be some chaff or other plant material included. We are generous in our
measurements, though. And residues should not interfere with sowing the seeds. Our berries may be offered two ways - as dried berries, or as separated seeds, at a higher cost, to compensate for the increased labor.
Most seeds are shipped dry with a pac of silica gel for insurance. But a few, like Magnolia, Live Oak, and Longleaf pine should never be allowed to dry out. These are shipped damp and should be dealt with immediately.
Many of the native perennial seeds require a period of cold (fall planting or cold storage in a damp medium - (called "stratification"), in order to germinate well. Some also require "scarification." You can search online for info on how to do both of these practices. YouTube is especially helpful with many videos to show processes. Of course, as with any online resource, you have to use some judgement. There are many techniques, some contradictory, and some online info is just plain wrong.
CUTTINGS: Likewise there is much online ino on plant cuttings. Keep in mind that this kind of propagation is a bit of a gamble. If you win, you get cheap plants that are exactly what you want (have you priced nursery stock lately?). If you lose, you aren't out much.
Most of our cuttings are made fresh upon your order, as we try to do our best for your success. Only a few are not made per your order, and these are dated in the listing, and refrigerated until sale.
While we emphasize native plants, we are not obsessive, and do have a few non-native food, herbs, and some woody plants that have shown to be well-behaved in our own homestead.
NO GUARANTEES: As with any plant material, our offerings are subject to many factors and we cannot give any guarantees. We do want our customers to succeed, so we take care to give fresh and viable materials. And we no longer offer some things that
we've shown in our own tests to be unlikely to do well.