Green Shadow Sweetbay Magnolia

Magnolia virginiana ‘Green Shadow’

Green Shadow Sweetbay Magnolia is a refined selection of the native Sweetbay Magnolia, prized for its glossy green foliage with distinctive silvery undersides and exceptionally fragrant, creamy-white flowers. The flowers can appear over an unusually long period from late spring through summer, often continuing for several months. In fall, the flowers give way to ornamental cone-like fruits that can add additional seasonal interest.

With a naturally upright, oval form, Green Shadow makes an excellent specimen or understory tree and is particularly well suited to moist areas, woodland gardens, and locations near ponds or water features. It is one of the more cold-hardy Sweetbay selections, remaining evergreen in warmer climates while becoming semi-evergreen or deciduous in colder zones.

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–10
• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
• Water Requirements: Moderate to high; prefers consistently moist soil and tolerates wet conditions
• Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
• Mature Size: 20–25 ft tall × 10–15 ft wide
• Bloom Time: Late spring through summer
• Foliage Type: Evergreen in Zones 7–10; semi-evergreen to deciduous in colder climates
• Maintenance: Low; little pruning needed, though shaping can be done if desired
• Soil Preference: Moist, acidic, well-drained soil; tolerates wet or boggy conditions
• Landscape Uses: Specimen tree, understory tree, woodland gardens, rain gardens, pond edges, privacy screens
• Deer Resistance: Moderate to high