This attractive, native ornamental is popular for its fragrant flowers borne over a long period, showy conelike fruit, handsome foliage of contrasting colors, and smooth bark. A slender semi-evergreen tree with pale grey bark, upright trunks and picturesque, horizontal branches. The Sweetbay Magnolia has aromatic, spicy foliage and twigs. Leaves are simple, green above and whitish below. Foliage is smaller and thinner than southern magnolia.