The magnolia symbolizes sweetness, beauty, and love of nature.
"A hint of spring."
Although it has no specific heraldic symbol, the magnolia flower meaning is attached with the symbol of nobility, perseverance, and love of nature. Soft and subtle in color yet strong in appearance, the flower is representative of the beauty encompassing femininity and gentleness. Often men prefer to gift their female partner the magnolia flowers, as an appreciation of their beauty.
Magnolia flowers came into existence long before the bees did, and therefore, they were pollinated by beetles. The magnolias are an extremely attractive variety of flowers that are not easy to miss, given their rather large size. These fragrant blooms are most commonly associated with the color white, though they come in a variety of other colors as well, including pink, mauve, peach, yellow, lavender, and purple. Interestingly, the flowers of the magnolia tree do not have petals and sepals like other flowers; instead they are composed of tepals which are leaf-like, petal structures. These tepals form around 6-12 cup-like structures. Even though the magnolias are extremely attractive (and this fact alone could suffice for their popularity), what draws attention to them, in addition to their beauty, is what these flowers represent and the significance of these in different cultures.
How the Name Came to Be The magnolia tree was discovered by a French botanist, Charles Plumier, on the island of Martinique (France). Locally referred to as ‘talauma’, he gave the species the genus name Magnolia, after Pierre Magnol, another famous French botanist. After Plumier, it was William Sherard, an English botanist who began using the genus name magnolia and adopted the same. Magnolia Flower Symbolism The magnolia flower meanings are both, interesting and intriguing and have a rather fascinating history associated with them. Their meaning varies according to the different cultures and locations, because the magnolia plant varieties are native to both, Asia and the Americas. Endurance, Eternity, and Long Life Of the many interesting facts about the magnolia flower, the most striking one is that it is a very old flower. In fact, there are fossils dating back 20 million years that show that the flower has been gracing Earth since the very beginning of time, so to say.
The magnolia is a very tough, hard flower, unlike other delicate flowers. This is owing to the fact that it has had to adapt to changing climactic and geological conditions in order to survive, and it is precisely due to this feature that the flower represents endurance, eternity, and long life. Beauty and Magnificence The magnolia flowers bloom boldly and are large in size, add to this their subtle, yet pleasing colors and they make for a thing of beauty. But what really enhances their beauty further is the distinct fragrance that they emanate―all these features lend them the meaning of splendid beauty and magnificence. According to Colors Magnolia flowers are available in a variety of colors and each color lends to a different meaning. Here is how they are represented.
White Magnolias These flowers stand for purity and perfection.
Pink Magnolias These flowers symbolize youth, innocence, and joy.
Green Magnolias These stand for joy, health, luck, and good fortune.
Purple Magnolias These send out vibrations that help in achieving wishes of luck and health. According to Countries
In China, the Jade orchid or Magnolia denudata, has been cultivated for thousand of years. The magnolia flowers mean ‘certainly’ when they are used at the beginning of other sentiments along with other symbols. In China, magnolia flowers are symbols of purity and nobility. In Japan, the magnolia is used as a medicinal and ornamental plant. The flower is called Hanakotoba in the Japanese system of flower meanings. This means that the flower is sublime, natural, and shows love for nature.
In America, the magnolia flower is largely associated with the South. The magnolia is the harbinger of the arrival of spring and is the official state flower of Mississippi and Louisiana. Mississippi has earned the nickname ‘Magnolia State’ due to the abundance of magnolia flowering blossoms. In fact, Mississippi also uses the magnolia as its state tree. The city of Houston, Texas is called the ‘Magnolia City’ due to the scores of magnolia trees growing along the Buffalo Bayou. Other Meanings During the Victorian times, the magnolia flowers symbolized dignity, nobility, poise, and pride. The strength of its bloom is also symbolic of self-respect and self-esteem. Since these flowers represent durability, strength of character, and bearing, they are widely used in weddings. Magnolias are also associated with the life force and therefore can be sent over on the occasion of birth. These flowers also represent a love of nature. For the plethora of positive symbols that the magnolia flower is associated with, and the classic beauty that it represents, it comes as no surprise that the magnolia is a very popular choice of flower for several occasions and functions. So the next time you’re holding a magnolia flower, you’ll not only be handling a thing of beauty, but one of symbolic significance as well.
The Incredible Symbolism of The Magnolia Tree
With its majestic form and creamy, white flowers, the magnolia tree has been a favorite across cultures for centuries. Admittedly we didn’t even know the power of the magnolia tree before we began planting them. Back in the early 2000s our co-founder, Matt, was working for the fernery on our 800-acre family farm. Working in the fern business, he was in touch with a lot of florists who bought ferns for their bouquets. One day, Matt called up a florist and they talked about trends and she asked if he knew anywhere that she could find magnolia branches. From there, Matt went on a mission to find the florist exactly what she needed. He soon discovered that down the road there was a magnolia farm with piles and piles of magnolia branches that were going to be thrown away. To the eyes of the magnolia farm, they were just trimmings that could be used for mulch, but Matt saw them as much more. Soon, he was buying more magnolia branches than the magnolia farm could keep up with. So, Matt and the rest of our incredible team went on to plant thousands of magnolia trees that still thrive on our farm today. Matt had experience with other plants and trees throughout his career and knew that most trees when cut on frequently, like Blue Spruce trees, develop disease and eventually die after a few seasons. But almost miraculously, the more we cut on the magnolia trees, the more they seemed to thrive. Today, it’s almost been twenty years that our magnolia trees have been generously giving us their leaves, flowers, and seed pods and much like The Giving Tree, our magnolia trees ask for nothing in return. Pictured above is our magnolia farm in Barberville, Florida. We believe that taking care of the environment is the best way to give back to these incredible trees. But, as it turns out, magnolia trees have been giving to cultures around the world for centuries. Keep reading to learn the meaning of the magnolia tree around the world. What does the Magnolia Tree symbolize in the south? The Magnolia tree symbolizes many different things. In Georgia, people used to plant a magnolia tree in every flower bed because it was said that luck and economic stability would follow. Today, the magnolia tree is the state tree of Mississippi as well as its state flower. The magnolia flower is also the state flower of Louisiana. What does the magnolia tree symbolize around the world? In the Chinese culture, the magnolia tree symbolizes purity and nobility. The tree was also known for its healing powers because in Traditional Chinese Medicine, magnolia bark was used as a sleep aid. In Japan, the magnolia flower is called Hanakotoba in the Japanese system of flower meanings. Hanakotoba means that the magnolia flower represents a love for nature, nobility, perseverance, dignity. What does the magnolia flower symbolize? The endurance and strength of the magnolia trees have also made them a symbol of everlasting connections, which is why magnolia flowers make a great addition to any wedding bouquet. Southern Magnolia Gift Tree Each of the flower colors also has its own symbolism. White magnolia flowers: purity and perfection Pink magnolia flowers: youth, innocence, and joy Purple magnolia flowers: good luck and health Green magnolia flowers: joy, health, luck, and good fortune Running this magnolia farm has been such a blessing, but we could not do it without the incredible power of our trees. If you have any further questions about the magic of magnolia trees or how to keep one in your home, you can check out our article about three benefits of having magnolia trees.