Life History and Disturbance Response of Magnolia virginiana (sweetbay)
Family: Magnoliaceae
Guild: opportunistic, dispersal limited (large-seeded)
Functional Lifeform: small to medium-size evergreen tree or shrub
Ecological Role: found on moist, poorly-drained soils in swamps and lowlands of the coastal plains; colonizes forest openings and clearcuts; moderately flood tolerant
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 80/ Information Not Found
Shade Tolerance: intermediate
Height, m: 15-30
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: insects
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): Information Not Found
Mast Frequency, yrs: Information Not Found
New Cohorts Source: seeds
Flowering Dates: late spring -- summer
Flowers/Cones Damaged by Frost: no
Seedfall Begins: summer -- early fall
Seed Banking: Information Not Found
Cold Stratification Required: yes
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: drupelike follicle/ to 100 m/ wind, birds
Season of Germination: spring
Seedling Rooting System: Information Not Found
Sprouting: occasional, from stump or root-collar
Establishment Seedbed Preferences:
Substrate: variable
Light: overstory shade
Moisture: moist required
Temperature: neutral
Disturbance response:
Fire: Sweetbay grows on moist sites, where fire rarely occurs. In the absence of fire, sweetbay becomes one of the dominant species in southern mixed hardwood forests. Although seedlings are susceptible to topkill and mortality from fire, larger trees are fire-resistant. Although the bark is relatively thin, a cork layer underneath the bark does not burn easily and consequently sweetbay is relatively fire resistant. Sweetbay sprouts after topkill from the root crown. Seedling establishment may occur from seeds of surviving trees onsite or from offsite seeds carried by water or birds.
Weather: Sweetbay is extremely tolerant of flooding in the dormant season.