BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Magnolia virginiana | Sweetbay 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Sweetbay is a slow-growing, small- to medium-sized evergreen tree or
shrub [15].  In northern climates sweetbay grows mainly as a shrub,
usually 2 to 5 feet (0.6-1.5 m) tall.  In the southern portions of its
range, the tree may range in height from 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 m)
[27].

The white flowers of sweetbay occur on solitary, stout, terminal
peduncles at the end of leafy twigs.  The fruit is a conelike aggregate
consisting of many one- or two-seeded follicles [12].  At maturity, the
follicles dehisce and the long scarlet seeds emerge to hang suspended
for a time by fine silky threads.  The leaves are alternate, entire, and
thin, with bright green upper surfaces and pubescent, white lower
surfaces.  The bark is thin, smooth, and gray to reddish-brown [30].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Undisturbed State: Phanerophyte (mesophanerophyte)
   Undisturbed State: Phanerophyte (microphanerophyte)
   Burned or Clipped State: Cryptophyte (geophyte)


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Seed production and dispersal:  Sweetbay produces some seed annually,
but yields are small.  Cleaned seeds average about 7,530 per pound
(16,600/kg) [16].  Seeds are dispersed by wind, birds, and occasionally
by water [33].

Dormancy and germination:  Sweetbay seeds exhibit embryo dormancy that
can be broken by 3 to 6 months of cold stratification at 32 to 41
degrees F (0-5 degrees C).  Various tests with stratified seeds have
yielded germination capacities averaging 32 to 50 percent [33].

Vegetative reproduction:  Sweetbay stumps produce sprouts but their
vitality and growth potential are not known [27].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Sweetbay occurs mainly east of the Mississippi River on lower elevations
in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains [2,18].  It occurs on sites that
are usually moist throughout the year, and on sites characterized by
soils of low base saturation [1,30].  Trees commonly associated with
sweetbay are red maple (Acer rubrum), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica),
sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), water oak (Quercus nigra), laurel
oak (Q. laurifolia), southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), and
American holly (Ilex opaca) [4,26].  Common understory associates
include buckwheat-tree (Cliftonia monophyla), swamp cyrilla (Cyrilla
racemiflora), swamp dogwood (Cornus stricta), southern bayberry (Myrica
cerifera), Virginia willow (Itea virginica), dahoon (Ilex cassine), red
chokecherry (Sorbus arbutifiolia), large gallberry (I.  coriacea),
inkberry (I. glabra), sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), and small
switchcane (Arundinaria tecta) [3,26].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Sweetbay is a late successional species that is intermediate in shade
tolerance [8].  Sweetbay will invade pine and hardwood stands, and once
established, it can maintain or increase by growing up through openings
in the canopy [8,24].  Sweetbay has been migrating onto mesic sites and
establishing itself as a climax species in mixed hardwood forests [26].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
The flowers open during a period of several weeks from April to July
with the fruit ripening from July through October [32,33].

Related categories for Species: Magnolia virginiana | Sweetbay