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Magnolia X Brooklynensis Yellow Bird

Magnolia (mag-NOL-ee-ah broo-klin-EN-siss)

Family: Magnoliaceae Unknown Canopy (>40 ft)

'Yellow Bird' is an artificial hybrid cultivar introduced from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in the Magnoliaceae (magnolia) family. This deciduous tree reaches a height of 40 feet and a width of 25 feet with a pyramidal habit when young, maturing to a more rounded crown. Unlike some hybrid magnolias, 'Yellow Bird' grows with a single trunk in a more tree-like form. 'Yellow Bird' prefers moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil in full sun to part shade. Once it is established it is somewhat drought tolerant but will need occasional deep watering during the summer months. The unusual bright yellow flowers appear in late spring so are not subject to damage to late drops in temperature like other magnolias. This stunning flowering tree makes an excellent specimen for an Asian or cottage theme garden. Its graceful mature shape works well in parks or recreational areas or larger backyards. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Capsid bugs and snails may affect the tree. Horse chestnut scale, coral spot or gray mold may attack the tree. VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee. More information on Magnolia x brooklynensis .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 47 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 1 - Canopy (>40 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Shrub; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Pyramidal; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Elliptical
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The elliptical green leaves have pointed tips, smooth margins and are up to 9 inches long
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Yellow, cup-shaped, showy flowers are up to 3 inches across and are held upright on the stem. They appear in late spring for about 3 weeks.
Bloom time
Spring
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Fruits will attract birds.
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Cottage Garden
Design feature
Specimen
Garden tags
#flowering tree #recreational areas #easy to grow #parks #flowers late spring #showy flowers #yellow flowers #low maintenance #Asian garden #drought tolerant #deciduous tree #cottage garden #fast growing #fragrant flowers #landscape plant sleuths course
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Magnolia Scale; Yellow Poplar Weevil
Disease problems
Flyspeck and Sooty Blotch; Sooty Molds
Resistant to
Drought

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.