How to Grow Sweetbay Magnolia from Seeds

No matter where I go when I see seeds that are ripe I’m tempted to collect them. That was the case when walking around Knoxville last year and seeing some ripe magnolia seeds on some Sweetbay magnolia plants. Sweetbay magnolias have several names including: sweetbay magnolia, laurel magnolia, swamp magnolia, white bay magnolia, (simply) bay magnolia, or even beaver tree. I’ve never known anyone to call it Beaver tree but who knows, there’s probably someone somewhere? In any case the botanical name is Magnolia virginiana and that is the most reliable name to go by.

(Note: there is a video on this topic at the bottom of this article.)

Growing Conditions for Magnolia virginiana

Magnolia virginiana is an American native tree that grows well in zones 5-10. The warmer the zone the greater the chance it will stay green year round but it is typically considered deciduous. Here in Tennessee it loses its leaves each year. Sweetbay magnolias are smaller trees and good for planting in city landscaping areas. They only grow 20-25 ft tall and about the same in width. A number of factors can influence the height and width; sun availability, moisture, and quality of the soil. M. virginiana prefers full sun to part sun locations for ideal growth.

This magnolia produces beautiful white flowers amount the glossy green leaves that are fragrant. It’s a great tree for patio areas and shrub borders due to its smaller size and the fragrant white flowers. The flowers eventually will form cones that produce a seed covered in a waxy red flesh. The same is true for other magnolias like Magnolia grandiflora or Magnolia liliflora. Sometimes it’s hard to beat the birds to the fruit as I’ve found it is well loved by cardinals and other birds.

Magnolia Seeds

The flesh of the seed can be soaked to soften it up then all you need to do is squeeze the red waxy coating and the seed will pop out. Once separated from the seeds use winter sowing techniques or plant them in pots protected from squirrels and chipmunks. Sometimes it seems that everything wants to eat my seeds!

Keep the seeds moist and cool; don’t let them dry out. The seeds need a period of cold stratification of around 120 days which can be accomplished by a normal winter in many zones. In warmer areas you may consider putting them a plastic bag then storing them in a refrigerator to accomplish the cold stratification period. For my seeds I planted them outdoors and let nature handle the cold stratification.

When Will the Seeds Germinate?

The seeds should germinate in the spring when warm weather becomes consistent. Just make sure that you water them during dry spells. I can’t say what my germination rates were with my batch of seeds from 2023 since I don’t remember how many seeds I started with but I have 5 little magnolia trees potted up and ready to grow. Hopefully by Fall of 2025 I’ll be able to plant them in our gardens somewhere.

Video on Growing Sweetbay Magnolia from Seeds

Here’s a video I did on the Magnolia virginiana seeds I collected and grew. Fall is an excellent time to collect seeds from many types of plants so I strongly encourage you to keep an eye out and collect seeds when you can!

Step by Step Guide for Planting Magnolia Trees from Seeds

• Spot ripe magnolia seeds, typically on cones, with red, waxy flesh.
• Collect the seeds from the plant, ideally before birds get to them.Soak the seeds to soften the waxy red flesh.
• Squeeze the seeds to remove the red flesh and extract the seed.
• Use winter sowing techniques or plant the seeds in pots, make sure to protect them from squirrels and chipmunks.
• Expect seed germination in the spring when consistent warm weather arrives.
• Keep the seedlings watered, especially during dry spells.
• Once the seedlings are mature (around fall of the second year), they can be planted in gardens.