Teddy Bear Magnolia

{"key":"teddy","id":"PLT-MAGN-SOUTHERNCHARM","slug":"teddy-bear-magnolia","name":"Teddy Bear Magnolia","botanical":"Magnolia grandiflora ‘Southern Charm’","h":[16,20],"w":[10,12],"install":[6,3],"treeForm":"pyramidal","color":"#546847","native":true,"type":"trees","categoryLabel":"Trees","reviewDate":"2026-09-08","guideKind":"Compact evergreen magnolia cultivar","eyebrow":"MAGNOLIA FLOWERS AT A MORE MANAGEABLE SCALE","benefit":"Give a residential garden a lasting evergreen anchor.","intro":"Teddy Bear Magnolia offers large white flowers and rich evergreen foliage in a compact, upright selection. It can anchor a residential bed while leaving more of the property available for outdoor living and lower planting. The rounded leaves and velvety brown undersides give it interest even when flowers are absent.","light":"Full sun","lightTags":["sun"],"water":"Well-drained soil; establish with regular watering and water during dry periods","season":"Evergreen leaves with rusty undersides · large white flowers · leaf and flower litter","care":"Allow its naturally dense shape; plan access for cleanup and selective early tree care","caution":"Compact is relative: Teddy Bear still needs room for a 10–12 ft crown and roughly 16–20 ft of height. Keep it away from low eaves and overhead services. Large leaves and spent flowers are part of the maintenance decision.","sizeNote":"Monrovia lists Southern Charm, sold as Teddy Bear, at 16–20 ft tall and 10–12 ft wide. These dimensions apply to this cultivar, not every dwarf magnolia. Inspect the nursery label and branching before purchase, and leave additional clearance around the canopy.","site":"Use Teddy Bear as a sunny focal tree in a Pensacola front or rear garden with enough bed depth to accommodate its low, dense crown. Position it to frame a view rather than block a window. A mulched area beneath the canopy gives fallen leaves a practical landing place and reduces competition close to the trunk.","uses":["An evergreen residential focal tree","A compact magnolia beside a lawn","A white-flowering garden anchor","A dense upper layer in a mixed bed","A specimen viewed from the house"],"checks":[["Is the cultivar name confirmed?","Ask for Southern Charm or Teddy Bear on the label. Little Gem and the full-size species have different planning dimensions."],["Will the tree fit around the house?","Check rooflines, windows and overhead services using the mature crown. The nursery plant’s current size is only a starting point."],["Where will the fallen leaves collect?","Consider pool water, gutters and paving before placement. Make cleanup manageable as part of the garden layout."],["Can the lower branches remain?","Decide whether the natural leafy base works here. Avoid buying a dense specimen for a route that needs high pedestrian clearance."]],"faq":[["How is Teddy Bear different from Little Gem?","Teddy Bear has a different compact cultivar form and a published 16–20 ft height range. The existing Little Gem guide uses the taller local extension range."],["Will it remain small enough beneath an eave?","It is still a tree. Choose an open location using the full size range and clearance, rather than relying on repeated pruning."],["Is it evergreen and clean around a pool?","It is evergreen, but it still sheds leaves and spent flowers. Keep the crown and likely litter away from the water and primary walking space."]],"sources":[["Monrovia · Teddy Bear cultivar identity and dimensions","https://www.monrovia.com/teddy-bear-southern-magnolia.html"],["UF/IFAS · Southern Magnolia site and maintenance guidance","https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST371"]],"wholeCaption":"Illustrative compact Teddy Bear crown; the plant still becomes a substantial residential tree.","detailCaption":"Illustrative white flower and rounded leaves with velvety rusty undersides.","aliases":["teddy bear","southern charm","compact magnolia","small evergreen tree","white flowers"],"goals":["privacy","color"],"images":{"context":{"id":"6aa02f18c632402bdddca4e9","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa02f18c632402bdddca4e9_landova-tree-teddy-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Teddy Bear Magnolia","width":1600,"height":900},"whole":{"id":"6aa02f194938abff128ff4fc","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa02f194938abff128ff4fc_landova-tree-teddy-whole.webp","alt":"Illustrative whole-plant form of Teddy Bear Magnolia","width":1122,"height":1402,"fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6aa02f192f184c5f25438091","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa02f192f184c5f25438091_landova-tree-teddy-detail.webp","alt":"Illustrative foliage and seasonal detail of Teddy Bear Magnolia","width":1254,"height":1254}},"companions":[{"slug":"little-gem-magnolia","name":"Little Gem Magnolia","title":"Compare the other compact magnolia","reason":"Little Gem is another named selection with a different mature profile. Compare both height and width before choosing.","image":{"id":"6aa017101aed9274d5fb17e5","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa017101aed9274d5fb17e5_landova-tree-littlegem-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Little Gem Magnolia","width":1600,"height":900}},{"slug":"schillings-dwarf-yaupon-holly","name":"Schilling’s Dwarf Yaupon Holly","title":"Keep the foreground lower","reason":"Dwarf Yaupon can add a lower evergreen mass in its own compatible location. Leave the magnolia’s future canopy and root area room to develop.","image":{"id":"6a9f5cd31fbbc23ce58d34ef","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f5cd31fbbc23ce58d34ef_landova-schilling-context-r05.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Schilling’s Dwarf Yaupon Holly"}}]}