We're doing a landscape plan, 3 acres total, about 1.75 is cleared & house. We are zone 7a, but close to 6b on the new map, central mid-atlantic / northern VA area just east of the mountains. There's plenty of space for a monster Magnolia in the side yard on the southeast side of a small grove of poplar & maples - enough to protect from winter winds. Planting location is about halfway down a very gentle slope.

I've seen very tall, lovely Magnolias in the Raleigh NC area that I would love to emulate, but cannot discover which cultivar was planted there. Here's their look & habit as I recall.
Tree structure was as I would describe it as "ballgown". Tall & narrow coneshape, and branches grew out then down, as I recall, not upward branching. Leaves a deep green glossy with some brown underside. Bloom season was not long lived, but worth every minute - the blooms were enormous - 12 inches across when fully open - with that heady, lemony waxy fragrance. Branches grew all the way down to the ground. Ground level was the tree's widest point, and tall shape was a sweeping cone upwards from there. It was evergreen. If you stuck your head into the tree past the initial leaf-cover, I recall the interior being pretty clean - not a lot of interior branching.

Everyone here has Bracken's BB or Little Gem (deinitely off the list). I have not yet seen a BBB that I liked the shape, but maybe the shape is all about pruning? But I think the downward branching may be a significant indicator for identification.

Would enjoy reading your recommendations please. Thanks in advance!

Edith Bogue
Victoria
Bracken's Brown
Little Gem

In addition, I grow, Majestic Beauty, Green Giant and Teddy Bear.

I would say, that in terms of snow damage, I see the least damage on
Edith Bogue and Victoria ( my Bracken's brown is still too small to tell ). I see the most damage on the Teddy Bears ( their more vertical leaves just accumulate snow and don't seem to shed the snow as well as even the broader leaved trees). Most of these magnolias have relatively low lying branches, but the ones that I have that droop the most to the ground are Green Giant (fast grower) and Majestic Beauty (very large flowers).

So, I guess my current favorites in my climate are Victoria (new growth emerges from red buds similar to Rubber Plant), and Edith Bogue. Another favorite is Little Gems which I have had in bloom from May to Halloween (longest flowering). I know you ruled them out. It has been five years with them and so far, no problems with cold or snow and ice, though I know others have reported a different different experiences.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Edith Bogue'

There is nothing particularly fancy about them. If a grower notices that a particular tree has a unique trait (leaf size and coloration, height, cold hardiness, snow load resistance, flowering period, etc..), that tree can be propagated (asexually), and all the trees that arise from it will have similar traits and it gets a designation as a cultivar. Some of these culivars have been around for over 200 years in America and Europe. There is nothing wrong with buying an unnamed cultuvar (which may, in fact, still be cultuvar but was not included on the label), but if you are growing these trees in colder and snowier regions (outside their native range), it is better to get a cultivar known for cold hardiness. In my area, almost all of these trees sold will be identified by the cultivar and most are the standard, cold hardier ones, including...Edith Bogue, Bracken's Brown, or Victoria. (So trees are seldomly sold as just...M. grandiflora.). Hope that clarifies.

Wonder whiskers, let me knew if you would like to see a pic of any of the specific varieties I suggested for northern growers and I will snap a picture.

PS., attached is a relevant article about these beautiful trees.

A surprise is Umbrella magnolia. It isn't bothered by cold here either. The leaves are enormous. The only issue is leaf damage/tearing from strong winds -- it's best to plant in a spot protected from exposed winds.

'Umbrella Magnolia' and 'Big leaf magnolia' are both different species, very hardy but deciduous in nature.

By the way, very interesting to note, do you know which magnolias had the most damage from last October's freak snowstorm?...the deciduous ones. Some of the Saucers and Star Mags were split in HALF as they were still in full leaf!

Closeup shape in the landscape: probably only 7 years old at this time:

Distant shape in the landscape - definitely the look I am going for! Probably 8 years old.

Bloom Buds & leaf color - a 10 year old tree, we figured:

Branching & color - taken of Hawk through the window....

Deer at the "snack stump", and the Magnolia in the frame too

In the snow - not sure if this is helpful:

Thanks all! I enjoyed reviewing the images myself....

First, I think many grandifloras will give you that lush, ball shape, with branches virtually to the ground (including the cold hardier ones like Victoria or Edith Bogue). I will post a few pics tomorrow of some that have been in the ground for 4-5 years. I got them small enough so that they could fit into the car but you would be amazed at how fast they grew! Mostly purchased at either HD, L's, or local garden center, and not for a lot of $. Speaking of which many stores have great deals on trees at this time of the year, however, if you do get one now, I would hold off on planting outside until Spring.

Funny you should have a pic with deer because I live with a virtual deer colony here. No, the deer WILL NOT eat the leaves but they LOVE to rut the trunks of mags (Deciduous or evergreen) because of the smooth bark. However, those you describe as ball-shaped tend not to get selected by the bucks. They select those with more easily accessible trunks! I have been temped to prune those branches that cascade down to the ground, but do not for this reason.

Now, the one negative trait that they all have is that many leaves are shed normally in the Spring--around the time new growth commences. This is normal. So peak leaf litter here is May into June, not so many in July and August, and none in the Autumn when I we get buried with deciduous leaves. None also in the Winter. No winter leaf burn occurs on the Victorias or Edith Bogues (which actually first gained national prominence as a distinct strain once it got to NJ from a tree growing in Florida and yet endured a severely cold Winter killing other S. mags). I do get some minor burn on a nameless cultivar that I got and believe to be 'Green Giant' but that one grows fastest of all so the point is moot (cultivar known for rapid growth, almost no brown on the underside, and limited tolerance to extreme cold).

P.S., The attached pic was from last year, and is either an Edith Bogue or Majestic Beauty (didn't think to label the cultivar).

Njoasis

However, those you describe as ball-shaped tend not to get selected by the bucks. They select those with more easily accessible trunks!

Exactly. That's why I leave branches down low in the vulnerable areas of my lot. The bucks want a visible, accessible trunk to rub.

Yeah, I know Umbrella mag isn't a southern mag, but I replied w/o reading the post, just read the title. Umbrella mag is still an usual magnolia to plant & surprisingly cold-hardy given its looks -- like a cold-winter-climate banana tree.

You can have a wonderful garden with deer, just know what to plant and where to plant it. Despite the buck passion for rubbing on magnolia trunks, the leaves themselves are pretty much deerproof.

Not really familiar with umbrella mag, saucers and stars are common among the deciduous ones here, and as I said, they really suffered in that freak October snow storm--unlike the grandifloras for some reason.

Are you familiar with the Big Leaf magnolia? Leaves are enormous and the tree is much hardier than grandiflora but for some reason, not so popular around here. When I first saw it, it looked lie the most tropical tree I had ever seen! It is deciduous. If you like Magnolias, another tree I would recommend is M. virginiana. Mine is deciduous but I have read that some varieties are more semi evergreen, depending on your climate. Strong points are that it is smaller than most grandifloras, and personally, I find the flowers much more aromatic though much smaller.

I'll share a little deer story. That magnolia pictured above was at a house where we rented in Raleigh. One day I was out at the Mag with pruners, looking for one more of those massive blossoms for the house. I'd slowly walked around the entire skirt of the tree - enjoying, looking, smelling, pondering.... when suddenly - about 3 feet in FRONT of me (under the tree, mind you) came a mad rustling-scurry-dash that half scared me to death, and this teeny TINY little leggy spotted fawn literally flew out from under the tree and into the woods!!! I had walked circles around it for probably 5 minutes at least, only a few feet away. Am sure it's Mama put it on a sit-stay, but it probably couldn't take it anymore that I was so close, and it dashed. A charming moment, but seriously sent my pulse racing! LOL.

Deer here are not afraid of people anymore. They just stand around looking at you.

Deer here are not afraid of people anymore. They just stand around looking at you.
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Deer aren't as tame around here out in the country 'cause people poach them on their properties (I don't complain -- they're still overpopulated). I contribute by popping them w/a BB gun. Doesn't really hurt them, but they jump when hit, scamper & become fearful.

Bigleaf mag's leaves are so enormous & fleshy they wouldn't last long in the wind here. Only ones I've seen were in the Smokies, but someone's yard north of me in PA has an impressive 40' Umbrella mag that I got enamored with, so I got one.

calliope, you do realize that you have encouraged 100's of people to look for that species of Magnolia now?! :) I have seen it planted into zone 6 but for some reason not common locally at all. . Big Leaf seems to do well in part SHADE by the way.