VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Magnolia virginiana | Sweetbay 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
The high-quality wood of sweetbay is medium soft, uniform, and
straight-grained.  Sweetbay wood is resistant to heavy shrinkage, is
highly shock absorbant, and has a relatively low bending and compression
strength.  It takes glue well, has a good nailing quality, and stains
and varnishes easily [16,25].

Nearly two-thirds of commercial magnolia (Magnolia spp.) is used in
making furniture products [27].  Magnolia wood is used by the food
industry for making cherry boxes, flats, and baskets [9].  The wood is
also used for popsickle sticks, tonque depressers, broomhandles, veneer,
and venetian blinds [16].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Sweetbay is an important forage for deer and cattle [27].  Winter use by
cattle can account for as much as 25 percent of their diet [20].
White-tailed deer browse the leaves and twigs year-round [22].  The
seeds are eaten by gray squirrels and to a lesser extent by white-footed
mice, wild turkey, quail, and song birds [30].


PALATABILITY : 
Sweetbay is highly palatable to cattle and white-tailed deer [22].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Seasonal nutrient content of sweetbay browse collected in Texas was as
follows [20]:
                   
                              N-free          Phosphoric
         Protein  Fat   Fiber  extract   Ash     acid      Calcium
                                (percent)
Summer     10.67  ---   ---     ---      ---     0.18        ---  
Winter      9.44  7.52  22.13  40.59     5.39    0.20       0.79

The protein level is fair to good in summer and fair in winter; the
phosphoric acid level deficient in summer and winter; and the calcium
grade is high [20].


COVER VALUE : 
Sweetbay provides perching and nesting sites for several species of
birds [5].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
The flowers and foliage of sweetbay make it a valuable and extensively
planted ornamental [27].  The leaves are used in flavoring foods [16].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Sweetbay can endure prolonged flooding but is susceptible to drought.
Winter drought can cause extensive dieback and mortality.  Seedlings are
very susceptible to frost damage; even a light frost can cause mortality
[7,27].  The leaves and twigs of sweetbay are well above the ground and
are often browsed by white-tailed deer in winter.  Sweetbay can be 80 to
100 percent defoliated by the end of the first or second growing season
if browsed heavily [20].

Related categories for Species: Magnolia virginiana | Sweetbay