Umbrella Magnolia

Highlights

Umbrella magnolia is a rare, shade-loving magnolia found in the Appalachian Mountains. The leaves are large, arranged in whorls, and the pale green buds are reminiscent of a paintbrush. The flowers are creamy white, then turn into pinkish-red fruit that persists late into the fall. It is an ancient beauty with unique pollinator relationships and food for all the little critters in your yard.

Is umbrella magnolia right for my yard?

Plant it if…

• You have acidic soil. Umbrella magnolia can handle a slightly alkaline soil, but it is happiest with some acidity.
• You want a magnolia that can handle shade. Unlike most other magnolias, umbrella magnolia can handle heavy shade like a champion.
• You have a sheltered spot in your garden. For umbrella magnolia, pre-existing trees are a feature, not a bug.
• You have a spot with lots of leaf litter. When it decomposes, the leaf litter acts as compost to keep the soil rich.
• You want to attract moths. While the major host plant of the tuliptree silk moth is the tulip poplar, they will also lay eggs on umbrella magnolia.
• You like the big leaves of other magnolias, but don’t have a lot of space. Umbrella magnolia has a smaller, more shrubby habit than other native magnolias.

Skip it if…

• You have really dry or really wet soil. Umbrella magnolia is easily distressed by extremes, so drought and wet feet is a no-go.
• You want a large shade tree. While umbrella magnolia casts shade, its shrub-like habit makes it less than ideal to shade your garden.
• You want nice-smelling flowers. While most magnolias have a pleasant fragrance that helps them attract beetles, umbrella magnolia smells unpleasant.

Umbrella magnolia has a large native range, stretching from the Mid-Atlantic to the south and toward the west. It naturally occurs as individual trees, as opposed to in groves, along stream banks, slopes, and in ravines. It is most commonly found in the Appalachian Mountains and has also been naturalized in some parts of the Northeast. See the full range map at the USDA PLANTS Database.

Why umbrella magnolia matters

Due to its scattered distribution, umbrella magnolia is considered a rare tree in North America. However, its range has expanded into the Northeast, so it has been able to adapt in the face of climate change.

Though it may not be a popular plant in the eyes of big plant nurseries, umbrella magnolia is a valuable resource for a variety of wildlife. With an umbrella magnolia in your yard, the local songbirds will come by and eat the fruit in the summer and fall. It also has a unique relationship with pollinators, as it is pollinated by beetles. This is an ancient pollinator relationship that predates bees, and it’s still happening in your backyard.

Umbrella magnolias are host plants

According to the HOSTS Database, umbrella magnolia is a host plant for the tuliptree silk moth (Callosamia angulifera). While the most important host of this moth is the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), many butterflies and moths do not limit themselves to one plant. Often, they will use related species, even an entire genus, as host plants. Liriodendron is in the magnolia family, Magnoliaceae, and only one species is native to North America. Due to their shared family, the silkmoths likely recognize umbrella magnolia as a viable host.

Even if you don’t have room for a tulip poplar, planting umbrella magnolia can still provide a home for these silkmoths.

Where umbrella magnolia shines in your yard

• Naturalized areas: If you want a low-maintenance planting, a naturalized area is perfect. As long as there’s moist soil and some compost, umbrella magnolia will take to it like a fish to water.
• Near stream banks and pond edges: While it doesn’t like wet feet, umbrella magnolia is far from a stranger when it comes to bodies of water. During dry periods, the nearby water may help you keep it from wilting.
• Woodland gardens: Umbrella magnolia is naturally occurring as an understory tree, so it will feel right at home beneath a forest canopy.
• Shade garden: Umbrella magnolia remains graceful beneath heavy shade, so you can pair it with other shade-loving plants.

Umbrella magnolia cultivars

Due to its rarity, umbrella magnolia is not a plant with a lot of cultivars. There has been some hybrid usage, but this is mostly with non-native species. What few cultivars exist generally aren’t available at your average nursery. However, we have found a few unique cultivars to share with you:

• ‘Bloomfield’: A cultivar from Pennsylvania with larger leaves and flowers.
• ‘Variegata’: You probably won’t see this cultivar at the garden center, but it is a historic variety with golden leaves.
• ‘Woodlawn’: This cultivar has large flowers, as well as large fruit.

How to grow umbrella magnolia

Where to plant

A shady, protected spot with rich soil is best. While umbrella magnolia can tolerate a wide range of sun, planting it in full sun means you’ll have to pay more attention to water needs. The soil should be moist, but well-drained, and acidic soil is preferable.

Spacing

Give umbrella magnolia roughly 12–24 feet of space. It has a more shrub-like habit compared to other native magnolias, so it can be planted in smaller spaces.

Watering

Make sure to water thoroughly as the plant is establishing, especially in warmer climates. After that, umbrella magnolia should be fine as long as the soil is moist. You only need to water during dry spells; nature will do the rest.

When to plant

Umbrella magnolia is best planted when dormant, so early spring or late fall is best. The best time also depends on the climate. In colder climates, early spring is your safest best because magnolias are sensitive to frost damage. However, in warmer climates, late fall is better.

What pairs well with umbrella magnolia?

Umbrella magnolia grows naturally in the forests of North America, loving shade and acidic soil. Its best companions are other woodland understory plants that handle shade and acidity, or tall trees that can act as a windbreak to protect it.

Where can I buy umbrella magnolia?

Most big-box garden centers don’t carry true natives, but umbrella magnolia is easier to find than you might think. Your best bets are a native plant nursery near you, a native plant society sale, or a trusted online grower that ships to your region.

Potential challenges with umbrella magnolia

The stinkiest magnolia

Not only do the flowers smell bad, but the wood is also said to have an unpleasant odor when damaged. And, of course, the wood is very soft and easy to damage.

In order to limit the unpleasantness of the smell, plant it somewhere further from your house. If you can plant it in an area that doesn’t get mowed, preventing damage from machinery, that will also help. However, if you’re sensitive to bad smells, this magnolia may not be for you. For more pleasantly fragrant species, we recommend southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) or sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana).

Suckering habit

As a multi-stemmed shrub or tree, umbrella magnolia produces suckers at its base. It may not sucker as aggressively as other plants, but the suckers can make the tree look messy. However, if the suckering habit bothers you, you can simply prune the suckers off. It won’t spread fast, so you can take some pruners and snip the young stems as you see them.

Strong winds

The large leaves of umbrella magnolia are one of its more impressive characteristics, but it is also a concern when it comes to choosing a site for planting. When planted out in the open, strong winds can cause the leaves of this plant to tear. Instead, plant it somewhere that your house, or other trees, can shelter it from the wind.

Umbrella magnolia is a shy species of magnolia, preferring the comfort of a shady forest understory. However, while overlooked by most people, it is a resilient plant that provides for the local wildlife. From birds to butterflies, umbrella magnolia’s seeds, fruit, and flowers make for a valuable food source. It fits perfectly into a shade or woodland garden, adding a quiet beauty to your yard.

If you want to learn about other magnolias, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Native Magnolias. Looking to attract songbirds? Head over to The Best Native Plants for Birds. Happy planting!

Explore more native magnolia profiles

• Ashe Magnolia
• Bigleaf Magnolia
• Cucumber Magnolia
• Magnolias
• Mountain Magnolia
• Southern Magnolia
• Sweetbay Magnolia
• Umbrella Magnolia

Written by

Kat William Hiland

Contributor, Horticultural Therapist In-Training

Kat (or Liam) is a native Ohioan transplanted to Philadelphia for school. Their interest in native plants began with a fascination with floral symbolism. They discovered their love of horticulture in high school, and are now studying it at Temple University after a two year vocational program. Their favorite flower is any species of magnolia.

More about Kat

Updated September 28, 2026Find more: White · Acidic · Flower · Tree · Spring · Summer · Full Sun · Part Sun · Full Shade · Moist

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