Twigs are reddish-brown and glossy. This is the only one of our native magnolias that has rough bark and a small leaf. The bark is aromatic and bitter to taste. The young twigs are a lustrous reddish-brown. The mature bark of the trunk is rather thin, dark brown, furrowed, and broken into thin scales.
Foliage is silky, or hairy, when unfolding, becoming smooth to slightly silky with age.
Leaf margins are entire and often have wavy edges. Foliage is dark green above and lighter beneath. May flowers are followed by a brown, cone-like fruit with red seeds. This magnolia has smaller flowers than those of the other native magnolias. The upright petals are whitish-green to yellow.