magnolia

/mægˈnoʊliə/

/mægˈnʌʊliə/

Other forms: magnolias

Definitions of magnolia

1. noun

   any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia; valued for their longevity and exquisite fragrant blooms
   types:

   Magnolia grandiflora, bull bay, evergreen magnolia, large-flowering magnolia, southern magnolia

   evergreen tree of southern United States having large stiff glossy leaves and huge white sweet-smelling flowers

   Magnolia tripetala, elk-wood, elkwood, umbrella magnolia, umbrella tree

   small deciduous tree of eastern North America having creamy white flowers and large leaves in formations like umbrellas at the ends of branches

   Magnolia fraseri, earleaved umbrella tree

   small erect deciduous tree with large leaves in coiled formations at branch tips

   Magnolia acuminata, cucumber tree

   American deciduous magnolia having large leaves and fruit like a small cucumber

   Magnolia macrophylla, great-leaved macrophylla, large-leaved cucumber tree, large-leaved magnolia

   large deciduous shrub or tree of southeastern United States having huge leaves in dense false whorls and large creamy flowers tinged purple toward the base

   Chinese magnolia, Magnolia soulangiana, saucer magnolia

   large deciduous shrub or small tree having large open rosy to purplish flowers; native to Asia; prized as an ornamental in eastern North America

   Magnolia stellata, star magnolia

   deciduous shrubby magnolia from Japan having fragrant white starlike flowers blooming before leaves unfold; grown as an ornamental in United States

   Magnolia virginiana, swamp bay, swamp laurel, sweet bay

   shrub or small tree having rather small fragrant white flowers; abundant in southeastern United States

   type of:

   angiospermous tree, flowering tree

   any tree having seeds and ovules contained in the ovary
2. noun

   dried bark of various magnolias; used in folk medicine
   type of:

   bark

   tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants