Bracken's Brown Beauty Magnolia

Bracken's Brown Beauty is an evergreen southern magnolia with a dense, conical, low-branching crown and glossy dark-green leaves with rusty-brown undersides. Its creamy-white, fragrant flowers open in May; Dawes Arboretum describes a potential mature size near 30 feet tall by 15 feet wide. ## Placement Give this specimen tree room for its broad, low branches and year-round foliage. The cultivar's compact outline and brown-backed leaves distinguish it from the much larger species form. ## Growing conditions Use a sunny or partly shaded position with moist, organically rich, well-drained soil. The species tolerates part shade, while cultivar hardiness varies among references; Dawes Arboretum lists Zone 6. Avoid waterlogged ground and exposed sites that leave evergreen foliage vulnerable to winter stress. ## Maintenance Water while the tree establishes and during prolonged dry weather. Keep the planting area clear of competing turf and allow the canopy to develop naturally. [Dawes Arboretum cultivar profile](https://dawesarb.arboretumexplorer.org/taxon-24319.aspx) · [US Plant Patent PP5,520](https://patents.google.com/patent/USPP5520P/en) · [Missouri Botanical Garden southern magnolia guide](https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?=&taxonid=282515).