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The Incredible Symbolism of The Magnolia Tree

March 22nd, 2021

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. 

Hand Holding White Magnolia Bloom
Magnolia Gift Tree on a Bench

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

You can also contact us by emailing us at sales@themagnoliacompany.com or giving us a call at 1-800-880-4662. A member of our team will always be happy to help!

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