Flower profile
Magnolias
Magnolia
Magnolias (Magnolia) is a shrub or small tree in the Magnoliaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.
Magnolias is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Louisiana, Mississippi
Quick look
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 to 340 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. The natural range of Magnolia species is disjunct, with a main center in east, south and southeast Asia and a secondary center in South America, Central America, the West Indies, and some species in eastern North America.
- It belongs to the Magnoliaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 25 states. USDA PLANTS
- In Mississippi, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,687 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #8 among the 154 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,661 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #2 among the 154 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | – | few records (48) | 1,687 |
| Mississippi | – | April–May | 1,661 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe
- Unknown We couldn't find this name in NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe
- Louisiana
- No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks.
- Mississippi
- No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Magnolia stellata (“Magnolia Bush”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records magnolias in 25 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Jefferson, LaSalle, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn.
Mississippi counties with USDA records: Adams, Amite, Attala, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Itawamba, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Neshoba, Newton, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Pontotoc, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Walthall, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wilkinson, Winston.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Native; Puerto Rico: Introduced; Puerto Rico: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 961 counties across 23 states; the most are in Georgia (100), North Carolina (92), Virginia (88).
Other Magnolia on Bloomipedia (5): Southern magnolia, Sweetbay magnolia, Banana shrub, Star magnolia, Saucer magnolia.
More Louisiana flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MAGNO.
- iNaturalist, Magnolia: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Magnolia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- La. R.S. 49:154: Louisiana state flower.
- Miss. Code § 3-3-13: Mississippi state flower.
- Mississippi: Mississippi Noxious Weed List (2 Miss. Code R. 1-3-01-136.01).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Bob via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.