{"product_id":"bigleaf-magnolia-seeds-magnolia-macrophylla","title":"Bigleaf Magnolia Tree Seeds | Large-Leaved Cucumber Tree | (Magnolia macrophylla)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe largest leaves and largest flowers of any native tree in North America.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMagnolia macrophylla\u003c\/em\u003e, the Bigleaf Magnolia, produces the largest simple leaves of any native tree in North America, paddle-shaped leaves that can reach 30 inches in length and 12 inches across, giving the tree an unmistakably tropical, bold presence that no other temperate native can match. The flowers that appear in late spring and early summer are equally remarkable, creamy white bowls up to 16 inches across with deep purple centers that are among the largest flowers of any temperate tree in the world. The tree grows naturally in rich, moist woodland coves in the Appalachians and Gulf Coast plain where it occupies the understory and mid-canopy, bringing an exotic, prehistoric quality to the forest interior that stops everyone who encounters it. If you are looking to buy Bigleaf Magnolia seeds or grow this extraordinary native from seed, this is the tree that makes people question whether they are still in North America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe largest simple leaves of any native tree in North America, up to 30 inches long\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreamy white flowers up to 16 inches across, among the largest flowers of any temperate tree in the world\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTropical, prehistoric appearance completely unlike any other native temperate tree\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNative to moist woodland coves of the Appalachians and Gulf Coast, shade-tolerant understory tree\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrilliant red seed cones in fall following the flowers, ornamental in their own right\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThings you probably did not know about the Bigleaf Magnolia\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe leaves are so large they were used as emergency food wrapping and cooking vessels by Appalachian settlers.\u003c\/strong\u003e The enormous, slightly waxy leaves of Bigleaf Magnolia were used throughout Appalachian folk culture as wrapping for food items during outdoor cooking and travel, similar to the banana leaf technique used in tropical cooking traditions. The leaf size makes them practical for wrapping cornbread, vegetables, and fish for cooking in embers or for carrying food on the trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe species has one of the most restricted natural ranges of any Appalachian tree.\u003c\/strong\u003e Bigleaf Magnolia grows naturally only in scattered, isolated coves and ravines across a relatively small area of the central and southern Appalachians and Gulf Coastal plain, making it one of the most geographically restricted native hardwoods of the region. Within its natural range it is locally common in suitable microhabitats but absent from most of the surrounding landscape. This rarity within its own native territory adds to the sense of discovery when encountering it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe flowers last only one to two days individually but the tree produces them over several weeks.\u003c\/strong\u003e Individual Bigleaf Magnolia flowers open for a single day, closing in the evening and either reopening briefly the following morning or dropping. The tree compensates by producing new flowers sequentially over several weeks in late spring and early summer, extending the overall flowering period even though each individual flower is ephemeral. The fallen flowers accumulate beneath the tree in creamy white mounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe enormous leaves produce the deepest leaf litter of any eastern native hardwood.\u003c\/strong\u003e The annual leaf drop of Bigleaf Magnolia creates a deep, slow-decomposing layer of litter beneath the tree that insulates the soil, retains moisture, and creates a specific microhabitat for salamanders, large invertebrates, and the fungi that break down the leaves. The sheer volume of organic material produced annually by a large Bigleaf Magnolia is greater than most other native trees of comparable size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBotanical Name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Magnolia macrophylla\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStratification:\u003c\/strong\u003e Required, 90 to 120 days cold moist stratification\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5 to 9\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, sheltered from strong winds that damage the large leaves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Partial shade to full sun, best in filtered light similar to its natural woodland cove habitat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30 to 50 feet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20 to 30 feet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow to moderate, 1 to 1.5 feet per year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant it in a sheltered spot where the enormous leaves will not be shredded by wind and where the scale can be appreciated without the tree competing for space with other large specimens. One Bigleaf Magnolia in the right setting does more than a dozen ordinary ornamentals in the wrong one.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Evergreen Seed Co.","offers":[{"title":"5 Seeds","offer_id":51705018351938,"sku":"BIGLEAF-MAGNOLIA-5","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Seeds","offer_id":51705018384706,"sku":"BIGLEAF-MAGNOLIA-10","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"25 Seeds","offer_id":51705018417474,"sku":"BIGLEAF-MAGNOLIA-25","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 Seeds","offer_id":51705018450242,"sku":"BIGLEAF-MAGNOLIA-40","price":68.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100 Seeds","offer_id":51705018483010,"sku":"BIGLEAF-MAGNOLIA-100","price":166.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/5456\/4674\/files\/BIGLEAFMAGNOLIA-SHOPIFY.png?v=1786996990","url":"https:\/\/evergreenseedco.com\/products\/bigleaf-magnolia-seeds-magnolia-macrophylla","provider":"Evergreen Seed Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}