What hardiness zones is Magnolia acuminata suitable for?

Magnolia acuminata is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

What are the sun requirements for Magnolia acuminata?

Magnolia acuminata requires Full Sun.

How much water does Magnolia acuminata need?

Magnolia acuminata has Medium water needs.

Broadleaf Deciduous Trees

Magnolia acuminata

Cucumber Tree

Magnoliaceae

Eastern North America (southern Ontario and New York south to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi; west to Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas)

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At a Glance

TypeTree

HabitUpright

FoliageDeciduous

Height50-80 feet (15-24 m)

Width35-50 feet (10.5-15 m)

Maturity25 years

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

3 - 8

Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Zone 7 Zone 8

These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.

What's my zone? →

Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts Pollinators Fragrant (light)

Native to North America

Maintenancelow

Overview

Magnolia acuminata is a large deciduous tree reaching 50–80 feet (15–24 m) tall and 35–50 feet (10.5–15 m) wide with a broadly pyramidal crown that rounds out and opens with age. The species is the most cold-hardy magnolia at USDA zone 3 and the only magnolia with yellow-toned flowers in its wild form; it has been used as the pollen parent in many yellow-flowered magnolia hybrids including M. x brooklynensis. Flowers are tulip-shaped, 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) long, with 6–9 greenish-yellow to pale yellow tepals; they appear in May–June after the leaves have fully emerged, and the foliage canopy screens them from all but close-range viewing. Leaves are alternate, ovate to elliptic, 5–10 inches (13–25 cm) long, medium to dark green above with a paler and slightly pubescent underside. Aggregate fruit clusters 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) long resemble small cucumbers while green in summer and ripen to red in September, splitting to reveal orange-red seeds suspended on silken threads. Bark on mature trunks is dark brown, furrowed into narrow scaly ridges. Growth rate is moderate to rapid for a magnolia at 12–24 inches (30–60 cm) per year, reaching mature size in 25 years. Hardy to USDA zone 3. Not known to be toxic to pets or humans.

Native Range

Magnolia acuminata is native to eastern North America, from southern Ontario and upstate New York south through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, and west to southern Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. The species occurs in moist, rich, well-drained soils of mixed mesophytic forests and stream-valley ravines at elevations of 300–4,500 feet (90–1,370 m).

Suggested Uses

Used as a shade tree and canopy specimen on large residential lots, in parks, estates, and arboreta at 35–45 foot (10.5–13.5 m) spacing. The 50–80 foot (15–24 m) mature height sets the minimum lot scale for placement; the broad pyramidal crown holds position in wind-exposed landscapes where smaller magnolias suffer leaf shredding. Flowers are largely hidden within the foliage and read as subtle yellow accents from within 15 feet (4.5 m) rather than a canopy display; the red fruit clusters in September give stronger visual interest than the flowers. The species does not fit small residential lots, urban street-tree pits under 10 feet (3 m) wide, or positions where showy flowering is the primary requirement.

How to Identify

Flowers are tulip-shaped, 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) long, with 6–9 greenish-yellow to pale yellow tepals, appearing in May–June after leaves have fully emerged and largely screened by the canopy. Leaves are alternate, ovate to elliptic, 5–10 inches (13–25 cm) long, with a pale slightly pubescent underside. Fruit clusters are 2–3 inch (5–8 cm) aggregates resembling small green cucumbers in summer, ripening red in September and exposing orange-red seeds on silken threads. Bark on mature trunks is dark brown with narrow scaly furrowed ridges. Compared with M. x brooklynensis hybrids (using M. acuminata as the yellow pollen parent), mature size is 15–45 feet (4.5–13.5 m) taller, flower color is paler greenish-yellow rather than saturated yellow, and flowers are hidden within rather than held outside the foliage; compared with Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree, sometimes confused due to the tulip-shaped flowers), leaves are not lobed and the cucumber-shaped fruit differs from the dry cone-like seed head of tulip tree.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height50' - 80'

Width/Spread35' - 50'

Reaches mature size in approximately 25 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring Summer

Tulip-shaped flowers 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) long with 6–9 greenish-yellow to pale yellow tepals appear in May–June over a 2–3 week window, after the leaves have fully emerged. Flowers are largely screened by the canopy and are not visible from more than 15 feet (4.5 m) away on mature trees. Fragrance is light. Aggregate fruit clusters 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) long ripen from green to red in September, splitting to reveal orange-red seeds on silken threads.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Tulip-shaped 2-3 inches long; 6-9 greenish-yellow to pale yellow tepals; screened by foliage; appearing May-June after leaf emergence

Foliage Description

Medium to dark green above, paler and slightly pubescent underside; alternate, ovate to elliptic, 5-10 inches long

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Full Sun Partial Shade

Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay silt

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

15-20 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to partial shade with 4–10 hours of direct light in moist, rich, well-drained loam, clay, or silt at pH 5.0–7.0. Tolerates heavier soils than many magnolias but does not tolerate prolonged waterlogging. Water deeply once per week during the first three growing seasons, then maintain moisture during extended drought. Apply 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) of organic mulch in spring, kept away from the trunk. Transplant balled-and-burlapped specimens in early spring before leaf-out; the fleshy root system is damaged by autumn transplanting. Scale insects are an occasional issue on stressed trees. Exposed sites with sustained winds above 25 mph (40 km/h) cause shredding of the large leaves. Hardy to USDA zone 3.

Pruning

Prune in late spring to early summer after flowering when sap flow is low. Established trees need minimal pruning beyond removal of dead, crossing, or storm-damaged branches. Train for a strong central leader during the first 3–5 years. The mature size of 50–80 feet (15–24 m) is difficult to reduce through pruning without destroying the canopy form; species selection should match the available space at planting.

Pruning Schedule

summer