Which Magnolia Are You?

Each kind of tree has its own personality. Red Oak is confident, strong, and independent. Corkscrew Willow is quirky and fun-loving. Crimson Queen Japanese Maple is sophisticated. Magnolias, in their countless forms, also have unique personalities. Some are flirty while others are more demure. Some are impulsive while others are more cautious. What kind of magnolia are you? Find yourself in the personality traits that follow, and find the magnolia that best represents you!

YOU’RE ROMANTIC.

You let your loved ones know how you feel about them. You tell them and show them and give them thoughtful little gifts—not just on their birthday, but “just because.” You sigh at sunsets, cry at sad movies, and write poetry. You see beauty everywhere.

Your Magnolia is Saucer. Smothered in scores of voluptuous, pink, tulip-shaped flowers, the Saucer Magnolia paints a romantic picture. Pass under its blooms, and you’ll smell their clean, sweet fragrance. The Saucer Magnolia originated in France (how’s that for romantic?), the result of a rendezvous between the Lily Magnolia and the Yulan Magnolia. Americans must be a bunch of romantics, because it is our most beloved Magnolia.

YOU’RE HARDWORKING.

You value hard work and aren’t afraid to do it. Working gives you satisfaction beyond completing the task at hand. Furthermore, you believe in not only doing the job, but doing it well. On occasion, you’ve been called an overachiever. 

Your Magnolia is Jane. Jane Magnolia produces its rich purple-pink blossoms over a longer period than other spring-blooming Magnolias. Then, in summer, this overachiever resumes flowering lightly for an encore performance. Hardworking Jane also does double duty as a seasonal privacy screen when used as part of an informal, unpruned hedge.

YOU’RE A NONCONFORMIST.

You don’t want to follow the crowd, dress like everybody else, think like everybody else, do what everybody else does. You want to take your own path and see where it leads. You don’t mind being a little different from the rest—in fact, you enjoy it!

Your Magnolia is Butterflies. Pink Magnolias, white Magnolias, pink Magnolias, white Magnolias, up and down the block. Sure, they’re nice, but isn’t there anything else? Yes! Butterflies Magnolia is refreshingly different, with gorgeous, soft yellow blossoms that are a breakthrough in Magnolia breeding. This nonconformist flowers a bit later than the most popular spring-blooming Magnolias, too, often avoiding a late frost. Try Gold Star Magnolia as well. It’s another excellent yellow bloomer.

YOU’RE DARING.

When adventure calls, you grab your backpack and are ready to go. You’re a risk taker and feel that always playing it safe is a bit of a bore. You only live once! Better to take advantage of an opportunity when you have the chance, you say, than to live with the regret of a wonderful experience that you have missed out on. 

Your Magnolia is Royal Star. Royal Star Magnolia is one of the first Trees to bloom in the spring. This risk taker dares Old Man Winter to declare that he isn’t done with us yet and to singe its white blossoms. More often than not, the gamble pays off. Winter retreats, and Royal Star Magnolia displays a joyful profusion of fragrant, strappy, sparkling white flowers for all to see. After months of ice and snow, there’s no better pick-me-up! Dr. Merrill Magnolia is another daring, pristine white Magnolia that taunts Old Man Winter with its glorious blooms. 

YOU’RE DEPENDABLE.

You value your commitments, and you do what you say you’re going to do. When you say you’ll be somewhere, you show up—and on time, too. Your friends, family, and co-workers can count on you. You’re trustworthy and always deliver on your promises.

Your Magnolia is Leonard Messel. Year after year, dependable Leonard Messel Magnolia covers itself in masses of fragrant, light pink flowers. The show is fabulous nearly every year, and each performance becomes a little more impressive than the last. Leonard Messel even hangs tough during cold springs, as the blossoms are remarkably resistant to frost compared to those of other early-blooming Magnolias. No excuses for this reliable Tree.

YOU’RE THE LIFE OF THE PARTY.

You’re friendly and charismatic and outgoing. You may not have always felt this way, but you’ve become comfortable being in the spotlight. You’re bold and expressive. You love a bawdy joke, and you tell a good story. People are drawn to you. When you meet others, you make an impression, and they remember you. 

Your Magnolia is Daybreak. Daybreak Magnolia is a bodacious Magnolia with giant blooms that can span 10 inches across. The fragrant flowers are rose-pink on the outside and lighter pink within. When this beaut begins to bloom (usually after the severe threat of a late frost is past), the neighborhood will sit up and take notice. Everyone will want to know its name. Galaxy Magnolia is another head-turner you can grow that enjoys being the center of attention. Its 10-inch blooms are painted a deeper pink.

YOU’RE A KID AT HEART.

You’re light-hearted, fun-loving. You don’t take yourself too seriously. You like to laugh and joke and dance and sing, and you haven’t forgotten how to play. You still stop and smell the Roses. You’re still filled with wonder when you see rainbows, fireflies, and butterflies.

Your Magnolia is Sweetbay. Sweetbay Magnolia is a playful Tree with an open framework and thin, silver-backed leaves that dance and flutter in the wind. Deliciously fragrant early summer flowers attract people of all ages, and fruits that look like Red Hots candies attract birds later on. The foliage plays host to tiger swallowtail and spicebush swallowtail butterflies, and their caterpillars are adorable. Both species sport fierce-looking but harmless eyespots and “horns” on their heads that pop up when they’re disturbed.

YOU’RE RESPECTABLE.

Go to the store in your pajamas? Never! You believe in presenting a well-groomed image. But while you like to look good, you never dress flashy—you’re too modest for that. You don’t care to draw a lot of attention to yourself. Still, your friends think you look sharp. 

Your Magnolia is Bracken’s Brown Beauty. This Southern Magnolia always looks polished and picture-perfect. It’s a sophisticated Tree that doesn’t have the big, showy burst of flower power of some of the spring-blooming Magnolias, but rather it produces its large, lemon-scented, creamy white blossoms sporadically over a long period. And as for getting naked in the winter? No way! This modest Tree will keep all of its leaves on, thank you very much! Little Gem Magnolia is another Southern Magnolia with a similar personality.