Grey pathway surrounded by bare trees, and trees with leaves turning shades of orange and yellow.

Magnolias

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Magnolias
March–April (precocious varieties), May (native varieties)

Magnolias’ fragrant flowers are some of the first to herald spring’s arrival. The Garden’s collection showcases the many diverse shapes and lovely shades of these sweet-scented blooms. From March through April, these graceful trees bloom in an array of pastel colors, from luscious whites to pale yellows to deep pink and purple hues. You’ll find a stroll along Magnolia Way never fails to delight with the promise of warm days to come.

Magnolia Tracker

Dig Deeper

The Collection

NYBG’s Magnolia Collection is home to 258 magnolia trees, which all together represent 78 different species, hybrids, and cultivated varieties. Among these, the collection primarily spotlights precocious flowering (the tree flowers before its leaves open) Asian species and hybrids, but also features inspiring native magnolia species.

The Locations

The majority of our magnolia collection is located along Magnolia Way near the Burke Oak Collection, the Woody Legume Collection, and the Thain Forest.
Magnolias can also be found in the Native Plant Garden, the Ladies’ Border, the Azalea Garden, and in various other locations across our 250 acres.

The Facts

  • The genus Magnolia includes over 300 species, two-thirds of which are native to Asia.
  • Many are native in the Americas, from Canada to Brazil. Some are tropical, while others can withstand temperatures as low as -20°F.
  • Magnolias are believed to be some of the oldest angiosperms—or flowering plants—with fossils that date back to 95 million years ago.

The Archives

Our Steere Herbarium is home to millions of plant specimens that tell the story of our planet’s botanical biodiversity across centuries of time, which informs our efforts to save the plants of our world for future generations.

Peruse the herbarium specimens and stories that live here at NYBG.

View Magnolia Specimens

Learn About Magnolias on The Hand Lens

Season Galleries

  • Brown tree trunks and branches covered in white snow.
  • Bare trees lining a grey pathway next to bright green grass.
  • Closeup of small, light green, fuzzy flower buds sprouting from brown tree branches.
  • Small, light green, fuzzy flower buds sprouting from brown tree branches.
  • Tall, bare trees lining a short bridge and pathway.
  • Closeup of small, light green, fuzzy flower buds sprouting from brown tree branches.
  • Pink and green leaves sprouting from a bare, brown tree branch.
  • Closeup of flower with light pink and white petals, and a light yellow center.
  • Large trees with spread out tree branches sprouting small pink magnolia flowers below blue skies.
  • Bare trees and trees sprouting small pink and white magnolia flowers along a grey pathway in the center and green grass on both sides.
  • Three people looking at a phone under trees sprouting pink flowers.
  • Closeup of light pink magnolia flowers sprouting from small dark brown stems with blue skies in the distance.
  • Green trees with light brown tree branches and trunks growing amongst bright green grass along a pathway.
  • Green trees with light brown tree branches and trunks growing amongst bright green grass along a pathway.
  • Fully bloomed green tree with brown branches and tree trunk growing in bright green grass.
  • Several trees with bright green leaves growing amongst bright green grass.

    Plants are our greatest defense against climate change, but their survival is at risk. Climate change creates ripple effects that jeopardize the health of the planet in many ways.

  • Closeup of a magenta colored plant growing amongst dark green leaves,
  • Closeup of a white flower with a burgundy center growing amongst bright green leaves.
  • Trees with brown, yellow, and orange leaves surrounded by green grass along a grey pathway.
  • Small and tall bare trees, and trees with yellow and orange leaves surrounded by green grass, next to a small green bench along a grey pathway.

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