Stunning and a bit showy, the state flower of Mississippi is bold, beautiful and a bit saucy – much like the fun-loving residents of the state. Mississippi selected the southern magnolia as the state’s official flower in 1952. The flower grows on large magnolia trees which can be seen growing across the state, but particularly in the yards and gardens of Mississippi inhabitants. It is a lovely ornamental tree.

The State Flower of Mississippi

The magnolia blossom is a large flower. The bright green leaves of the magnolia tree provide the perfect backdrop to the large white petals as the bud begins to open. The petals are, in fact, not petals at all, but petal-like petals. These saucer shaped flowers appear at the end of tree branches and are found alone. The magnolia trees must grow for seven years before the flowers and then bright red fruits will appear, but the tree’s dark, glossy leaves are lovely as well, particularly in the winter months as the magnolia is an evergreen tree.

Growing Southern Magnolia

The southern magnolia is a native to the southern coastline of the United States. The tree matures slowly but may live for up to 200 years and reach more than eighty feet in height. The magnolia tree or shrub is easy to grow in temperate climate. Plant a tree that is already in bloom in the spring months. A grafted magnolia will bloom after seven years while a magnolia planted from seeds can take up to twenty-five years to bloom. It will redeem itself, however, with an impressive array of flowers when it does finally bloom. Be sure to water your southern magnolia frequently as they require a great deal of water to thrive in hot climates, especially.