Magnolia Leaf

Description:

Bigleaf magnolia is medium-sized understory tree 15–20 m tall, though some individuals over 27m tall (and over 100 cm circumference) have been documented by the Eastern Native Tree Society. This species is distinguished from other magnolias by the large leaf size, 25–80 cm long and 11–30 cm broad. The tree's branches often bend under the weight of this heavy foliage.

Habitat:

Bigleaf magnolia is found in rich mesic woods; any disturbance that lets more light reach the ground is beneficial to the establishment of bigleaf magnolia, but despite its relatively fast growth-rate when stimulated by more light, other understory and canopy trees/seedlings are usually able to outgrow and out-compete it. This suits the plant just fine as it is tolerant of low light levels; it does not need full sun to survive once established (however, it does not tolerate full shade). Natural regeneration is quite limited due to the scarcity of mature, seed-bearing plants and the fact that this tree's population mostly consists of widely scattered individuals. In addition, this species is plagued by poor seed set (most likely from limiting factors mentioned above) and low seed viability, a trait shared by its cousin and frequent associate in the wild in Appalachia, the Fraser magnolia.