Southern Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the Southern magnolia or Bull Bay, is a tree native to the southeastern United States, from coastal Virginia south to central Florida, and west to eastern Texas and Arkansas. Reaching 27.5 m (90 ft) in height, it is a large striking evergreen tree with large dark green leaves and large white fragrant flowers. These showy, citronella-scented blooms are white, up to 30 cm (12 in) across and fragrant, and have 6-12 petals with a waxy texture, emerging from the tips of twigs on mature trees in late spring. They tend to be short lived and a bud opening one day, may well be over by the following evening. The scent is heady at this time of the year, when there are so many of these magnificent trees around.