Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' (Southern Magnolia)

'Little Gem' is an attractive, compact cultivar of Magnolia grandiflora, also called southern magnolia, that grows up to 15-20' tall with a straight trunk and a dense, pyramidal growth habit to only 8-10' wide. The 'Little Gem' cultivar's foliage is evergreen, with a glossy, leathery feel and this magnolia produces late spring to summer flowers that are heavily scented, smelling of ginger or citrus. Blooms are creamy white in color and quite large. typically reaching 3-6" across or more. These bowl-shaped blossoms open in the morning and close at night, playing host to a number of pollinators including a variety of bees and beetles. Come late summer or fall, flowers are replaced with cone-like seedpods that contain large, bright red seeds that attract birds.

With its dense, compact habit, 'Little Gem' is a great pick for compact garden spaces, and works great as a specimen tree or large privacy screen plant with leaves that remain attractive all through the winter. This cultivar's evergreen foliage is large and smooth, shiny deep green above and a rusty-brown underneath. Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' is not especially picky, requiring only medium to wet soils in full or partial sun, where it will grow to become an excellent, large shrub or small tree.