For those who have grown up in South Carolina or a southern state, you know very well what this tree is! However, if you have arrived from the north, you just might be wondering, "What is the name of that tree with the stunning creamy-white flowers and deep-green waxy leaves? I see them all over Myrtle Beach."

Have you tried smelling one of these gorgeous immense flowers? The smell is rich, sweet and deliciously beautiful. It’s actually quite intoxicating.

There is one right outside of our Trembley Group Real Estate office, a gentle giant with its flowery charm watching over us each and every day. In fact, the photo in this post is of this very tree.

This tree is a “Magnolia Grandflora,” or commonly known as “Southern Magnolia” or “Bull Bay”. It is native to southeastern United States from coastal North Carolina to Florida and west to East Texas and Oklahoma.

These large trees are throughout the Grand Strand area and if you are lucky enough to have one near your home, each late spring, you’ll enjoy their lemon-citronella fragrance wafting in the air.

In the fall, you’ll see rose-colored fruit that looks like a cone. Seeds are embedded in these cones. Songbirds love to eat these seeds, and the fleshy ‘aril’  is high in fat, which is a great source of energy as birds migrate south. Birds, along with animals, transport these seeds causing re-growth.

Facts & Tips On Planting a Southern Magnolia

• they are easy to grow and relatively pest free.

• best to plant these beauties in autumn.

• plant in hardiness zones 7a through 10a for successful performance.

• these trees can grow to heights of 60-80 feet with a width of 40 feet at maturity.

• there are many great shrub-sized magnolias for the smaller garden which are called, “Little Gems”.

• “Little Gem” typically reach 12 to 20 feet tall with a spread of 10 to 15 feet and produce proportionally smaller flowers.

• you can move this tree only if the trunk is less than four inches in diameter due to their rope-like roots and unusual root system.

• use mulch after planting to assist the soil temperatures and moisture conditions.

For more information, visit here.

Need help? Call The Trembley Group at 843.945.1880 ext. 100 and we’ll help you look for the perfect listing or buyers agent!

At The Trembley Group, we pride ourselves on being the experts at more than just selling real estate. We are local residents, some of us have been here for a lifetime. The rest of us will be here until the end of time. We love living, working, and playing in the diverse backyard of Coastal Carolina, and look forward to helping you live and love your dreams soon too. Please reach out to us by phone or email for personalized service and one-on-one advice. 

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Our agents write often to give you the latest insights on owning a home or property in the Myrtle Beach, SC area.