It occurs singly or in groups in the eastern half of the state, principally in the northeastern section. Moving southward toward the Ohio River it becomes rare, as it was almost completely removed from the original forests by lumbering. Miss Honeybee' is smaller in statue and has yellow flowers. Greenish to white in color, the leaves are pubescent and covered by a single-keeled scale that leaves a distinct scar encircling the twig. The terminal bud may be an inch long, but the lateral buds are half the terminal bud's size.
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.