Foliage color is medium green above and paler beneath. The leaf is bloomy and finely hairy beneath. Despite their size, the flowers are usually hidden by the oversized leaves. May and June flowers are followed by rosy fruit in September or October. The bark is smooth and beech-like.
Branches are stout and spreading.
The branches form an open, crowned tree in uncrowded conditions. In forest conditions stems are tall and straight. Umbrella magnolia is a tree that rarely exceeds 40 feet in height. The tree is made conspicuous by its large leaves and showy, white flowers. This southeastern Ohio native is found in Scioto, Jackson, Vinton, and Hocking counties.