Wondering what companion plants to plant under your Magnolia trees?
Check out these stunning under Magnolia tree landscaping ideas and garden designs to beautify your yard.
Choose the best plants from below for underneath your Magnolia tree to complement its elegance and create a beautiful garden space.
16 Under Magnolia Tree Landscaping Ideas
1. Ferns
Graceful and lush, Ferns are perfect for planting under Magnolia trees, creating a serene and green understory.
Their feathery fronds add texture and thrive in the dappled shade provided by Magnolias.
Ferns are low-maintenance and can help retain moisture in the soil, making them an excellent companion plant.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-8
Average Mature Size: 1-3 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Retain Moisture, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Various genera, including Dryopteris and Athyrium
2. Hostas
Hostas are a fantastic choice for planting underneath Magnolia trees, offering a beautiful variety of leaf shapes and colors.
These shade-loving perennials thrive in the filtered light beneath magnolias, adding a lush, layered look to your garden.
Hostas are also known for their resilience and ability to fill in spaces effectively.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
Average Mature Size: 1-2 feet tall, 2-4 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Resilient, Fills Space Effectively
Botanical Name: Hosta spp.
3. Japanese Anemones
Delicate and elegant, Japanese Anemones bring a splash of late-season color to the shaded area under Magnolia trees.
Their tall, graceful stems and charming blooms thrive in partial shade, creating a lovely contrast with the dense foliage of Magnolias.
These perennials are easy to care for and provide extended interest through the fall.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-8
Average Mature Size: 2-4 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Late-Season Color, Easy to Care For
Botanical Name: Anemone hupehensis
4. Sweet Woodruff
Sweet Woodruff is a charming ground cover that flourishes below Magnolia trees, producing a carpet of tiny white flowers in spring.
Its fragrant foliage and low-growing habit make it ideal for shaded areas, adding a touch of elegance and simplicity.
This perennial is also known for its ability to suppress weeds and thrive with minimal maintenance.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-8
Average Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall, 12-18 inches wide
Growth Rate: Fast
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Weed Suppressor, Minimal Maintenance
Botanical Name: Galium odoratum
5. Solomon’s Seal
Graceful and elegant, Solomon’s Seal thrives under Magnolia trees, with arching stems and bell-shaped flowers adding charm.
Its unique foliage and resilience make it a perfect choice for shaded areas. Easy to care for, this perennial enhances the beauty of your garden effortlessly.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
Average Mature Size: 1-3 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Resilient, Adds Elegance and Structure
Botanical Name: Polygonatum spp.
6. Lily of the Valley
Beautiful and fragrant, Lily of the Valley thrives in the understory of Magnolia trees, offering delicate, bell-shaped flowers in spring.
Its lush foliage creates a beautiful ground cover in shaded areas. This low-maintenance perennial adds elegance and a sweet scent to your garden.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-8
Average Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall, 9-12 inches wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Fragrant, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Convallaria majalis
7. Winter Aconites
Bright and cheerful, Winter Aconites will bring a burst of yellow to the garden under your Magnolia trees in late winter and early spring.
These hardy perennials thrive in the shaded, cool conditions, providing early-season color and interest.
Their low-maintenance nature and ability to naturalize make them a delightful addition to shaded areas.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-7
Average Mature Size: 3-6 inches tall, 3-6 inches wide
Growth Rate: Fast
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Early-Season Color, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Eranthis hyemalis
8. Camellias
Camellias add a touch of sophistication underneath Magnolia trees with their lush, glossy foliage and stunning blooms.
These evergreen shrubs thrive in partial shade, offering beautiful flowers in late winter to early spring.
With a variety of colors and forms, camellias bring lasting beauty and elegance to shaded garden areas.
USDA Growing Zone: 7-9
Average Mature Size: 6-12 feet tall, 5-10 feet wide
Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Beautiful Blooms, Evergreen Foliage
Botanical Name: Camellia spp.
9. Daffodils
Bright and cheerful, Daffodils are perfect for landscaping around Magnolia trees, bringing a burst of color in early spring.
These hardy bulbs thrive in partial shade, offering vibrant yellow, white, or orange blooms.
Low-maintenance and reliable, Daffodils naturalize well and add a lively touch to shaded garden areas.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-8
Average Mature Size: 6-20 inches tall, 6-12 inches wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Early-Season Color, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Narcissus spp.
10. Dwarf Irises
Dwarf Irises are a delightful choice for landscaping under a Magnolia tree, offering vibrant blooms in early spring.
These compact perennials thrive in partial shade, adding splashes of blue, purple, and yellow to the garden.
With their low-maintenance nature and striking flowers, dwarf irises are perfect for brightening up shaded areas.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
Average Mature Size: 4-6 inches tall, 6-12 inches wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Early-Season Color, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Iris reticulata
11. Calla Lilies
Elegant and striking, Calla Lilies thrive under magnolia trees, producing beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers.
These perennials flourish in partial shade, adding a touch of sophistication and color to the garden.
With their lush foliage and stunning blooms, Calla lilies are a low-maintenance option that enhances the beauty of shaded areas.
USDA Growing Zone: 8-10
Average Mature Size: 1-3 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Elegant Blooms, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Zantedeschia spp.
12. Virginia Bluebells
Charming and vibrant, Virginia Bluebells flourish underneath Magnolia trees, displaying clusters of blue, bell-shaped flowers in spring.
These perennials thrive in shaded areas, adding a naturalized and enchanting look to your garden.
Their easy-care nature and striking blooms make them a delightful addition to any shaded space.
USDA Growing Zone: 3-8
Average Mature Size: 1-2 feet tall, 1-1.5 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Vibrant Color, Easy Care
Botanical Name: Mertensia virginica
13. Elephant Ears
Elephant Ears bring a tropical flair to the shaded areas under Magnolia trees with their large, dramatic leaves.
These striking perennials thrive in partial shade, adding bold texture and lush greenery to your garden.
Easy to grow and maintain, elephant ears create a stunning visual impact in any landscape.
USDA Growing Zone: 8-11
Average Mature Size: 3-6 feet tall, 3-6 feet wide
Growth Rate: Fast
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Bold Texture, Easy to Grow
Botanical Name: Colocasia spp.
14. Bulbs
Bulbs are an excellent choice for planting under and around Magnolia trees, offering a variety of colors and forms that bloom at different times of the year.
They thrive in partial shade and can naturalize well, adding ongoing interest to your garden. With minimal maintenance, bulbs provide continuous beauty and charm to shaded areas.
USDA Growing Zone: Varies by species (typically 3-8)
Average Mature Size: Varies by species (typically 6-20 inches tall)
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Continuous Blooms, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Varies by species (e.g., Narcissus, Tulipa, Crocus)
15. Yellow Archangel
Striking yellow flowers and variegated foliage make Yellow Archangel a perfect ground cover under Magnolia trees.
Thriving in partial shade, it spreads quickly and adds vibrant color and texture to the garden.
This low-maintenance perennial also helps control weeds effectively.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-9
Average Mature Size: 6-12 inches tall, 12-24 inches wide
Growth Rate: Fast
Type: Perennial
Key Benefits: Weed Suppressor, Low Maintenance
Botanical Name: Lamium galeobdolon
16. Honesty
Honesty, also known as Lunaria, adds charm to shaded areas under Magnolia trees with its striking purple or white flowers and unique silver seed pods.
Thriving in partial shade, this biennial brings both beauty and interest throughout its growing cycle.
Its easy-care nature and attractive seed heads make it a standout in the garden.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-8
Average Mature Size: 2-3 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide
Growth Rate: Moderate
Type: Biennial
Key Benefits: Attractive Seed Heads, Easy Care
Botanical Name: Lunaria annua
Ideas & Designs For Landscaping Under Your Magnolia Tree
Want More?
I hope you found the perfect understory plants that will look great under the Magnolia tree in your yard.
Here are some other articles we did for companion plants that grow under Maple, Pine, Oak, Citrus, Cedar and Spruce trees.
