Published: April 27, 2023 | Updated: October 29, 2026
If you've ever admired the beautiful spring flowers of magnolia trees but worried about losing them to a late frost, the Little Girl magnolias might be just what your landscape needs.
The Little Girl magnolias are a group of eight small, spring-flowering trees developed to bloom later than many traditional magnolias, making their flowers less vulnerable to late spring frosts. The series includes 'Ann', 'Betty', 'Jane', 'Judy', 'Pinkie', 'Randy', 'Ricki', and 'Susan'.
Meet the Little Girl magnolias! Pictured here is 'Jane', one of eight varieties prized for their beautiful spring flowers and compact size. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
As a landscape designer, I use these magnolias frequently because they're low-maintenance, offer spectacular spring color, and fit beautifully into smaller landscapes. They're easy to tuck into a corner of the house, plant in a small garden border, or use as a specimen tree along a front walkway.
In this guide, I'll introduce you to all eight Little Girl magnolias, share tips for growing them, and offer ideas for incorporating these beautiful flowering trees into your landscape. All the photographs featured in this article are real garden photos, not AI-generated images.
The flowers of 'Ann' magnolia, one of the eight Little Girl magnolia varieties. Image © nickkurzenko via Canva.com
What are the Little Girl Magnolias?
Developed by the U.S. National Arboretum, the Little Girl magnolias were named after the daughters and nieces of the breeding program's developers.
These deciduous magnolias grow as small trees or large shrubs, typically with an upright, multi-stemmed growth habit. Their beautiful tulip-shaped flowers appear in shades of pink, purple, and reddish-purple.
The beautiful cup-shaped, tulip-like spring flowers of 'Jane' magnolia. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
The Little Girl magnolias typically bloom two to four weeks later than star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) and saucer magnolia (Magnolia × soulangeana), helping them to avoid the late spring frosts that damage earlier-blooming magnolias.
Their fuzzy flower buds develop before spring, opening as the weather warms. Glossy green leaves emerge as flowering finishes, and occasional flowers may appear throughout the summer months.
Hardy in USDA Zones 3b–8, these versatile magnolias are suitable for a wide range of climates and garden styles.
Don’t know your gardening zone? Look it up on the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone map.
A fuzzy flower bud on 'Susan' magnolia begins to open, revealing the colorful petals tucked inside. Image © Nahhan via Canva.com
The Eight Little Girl Magnolia Varieties
Although similar in appearance, the eight cultivars vary in mature size, growth habit, flower color, and blooming time. 'Ann', 'Jane', and 'Susan' are the most widely available at nurseries and garden centers.
'Ann' produces reddish-purple flowers in early to mid-spring. It forms a compact, multi-stemmed shrub, reaching approximately 10–12 feet tall and 15 feet wide.
'Betty' has large, reddish-purple flowers with white interiors in mid-spring. It develops a broad, rounded shape, reaching approximately 15 feet tall and 20 feet wide.
'Jane' produces deep purple flowers with white interiors in late spring. One of the tallest cultivars, it grows into an upright, multi-stemmed small tree reaching up to 20 feet tall.
'Judy' has reddish-purple flowers with creamy-white interiors in mid-spring. One of the smallest cultivars, it forms a rounded shrub approximately 9 feet tall and 13 feet wide.
'Pinkie' produces pale purple flowers with white interiors in late spring. It develops a broad, rounded, multi-stemmed shape, reaching approximately 10 feet tall and 20 feet wide.
'Randy' has reddish-purple flowers with white interiors in mid-spring. It forms a rounded, shrub-like plant reaching approximately 10 feet tall and 16 feet wide.
'Ricki' produces reddish-purple flowers with white interiors in mid-spring. It has a compact, shrub-like growth habit, reaching approximately 10 feet tall and 16 feet wide.
'Susan' features fragrant, deep purple flowers with lighter interiors and slightly twisted petals. It grows into an upright, multi-stemmed small tree approximately 15 feet tall and wide.
How to Grow and Care for the Little Girl Magnolias
One of the best things about the Little Girl magnolias is how adaptable and easy to care for they are. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener, these beautiful flowering trees are a rewarding addition to the landscape.
Soil and Watering
Little Girl magnolias grow best in rich, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. They prefer consistently moist soil, especially during the first few years after planting while their root systems are becoming established.
Water deeply rather than giving them frequent, shallow soakings. This encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil and helps the trees to become more resilient. During hot, dry weather, keep a close eye on soil moisture and water as needed.
For more helpful tips, read my guide to How to Water a Tree to give your magnolia the best possible start.
The Little Girl magnolias naturally keep their graceful form, no pruning required. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
Pruning and Maintenance
The Little Girl magnolias naturally develop an attractive shape and require little, if any, pruning.
If you need to shape your magnolia or remove crossing or rubbing branches, the best time to prune is in late spring, immediately after flowering. Pruning too early can remove flower buds, while pruning too late might affect the following year's blooms.
Dead or damaged branches can be removed as needed.
For help with pruning or maintaining a mature magnolia, visit the International Society for Arboriculture to find a credentialed arborist near you.
Little Girl Magnolia Tree Landscaping Ideas
The Little Girl magnolias are among my favorite small flowering trees to use in residential landscapes. Their manageable size, beautiful spring flowers, and low maintenance nature make them easy to incorporate into a variety of garden designs.
Here are some of my favorite ways to use them:
Back of the Border: Use a Little Girl magnolia to anchor a perennial or mixed border, adding height, beautiful spring flowers, and a leafy backdrop for smaller plants.
Evergreen Backdrop: Plant a Little Girl magnolia in front of evergreens to create a beautiful contrast between the dark green foliage and vibrant pink-purple spring flowers.
Specimen Planting: Use a single magnolia as a specimen tree near a patio, deck, or seating area where you can enjoy the flowers up close.
Garden Focal Point: Make a magnolia the centerpiece of a garden bed, surrounded by spring bulbs like daffodils and tulips. Add shade-tolerant perennials and groundcovers underneath for texture and year-round interest.
Foundation Plantings: Plant a Little Girl magnolia near the corner of a house to soften architectural lines and bring height to the planting design. Allow enough room for its mature spread so it doesn't crowd windows or the house.
Mass Planting: If space allows, plant several Little Girl magnolias together to create a small flowering grove. Their beautiful spring blooms make an even greater impact when planted in groups.
Planting several Little Girl magnolias together creates a beautiful grove of spring flowers. Allow plenty of room for their mature size. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
Fence Line Accent: Plant Little Girl magnolias along a fence to soften its appearance with attractive foliage and beautiful spring flowers.
Entrance Gardens: Frame a driveway, gate, or entrance with matching Little Girl magnolias to create a welcoming, symmetrical design with beautiful spring color.
Mixed Spring Groupings: Combine Little Girl magnolias with other spring-flowering trees like Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) or flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Their overlapping bloom times create a beautiful spring display.
Small Courtyard Gardens: Their relatively compact size makes them good candidates for courtyards and small urban gardens, provided there's adequate room for their mature height and spread.
Container Planting: Smaller cultivars such as 'Ann' can be grown in very large containers on patios or rooftop gardens, although they'll need more attention to watering and winter protection in colder climates.
The compact size of 'Jane' magnolia makes it easy to incorporate into smaller gardens and a variety of landscape designs. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
What to Plant with Little Girl Magnolias
There are several ways to approach companion planting with Little Girl magnolias. You can choose plants that bloom around the same time for a colorful spring display, use low-growing perennials and ornamental grasses beneath them, or combine plants with different flowering seasons to extend the garden's interest throughout the year.
Spring-Flowering Companions
Japanese Andromeda: This evergreen shrub produces cascading clusters of white or pink bell-shaped flowers in early spring. Its glossy foliage provides year-round structure and a beautiful contrast to the magnolia flowers.
Azaleas: Spring-flowering azaleas are natural companions for magnolias. Their colorful blooms and similar preference for acidic, well-drained soil makes them easy to combine.
Camellias: Spring-blooming Japanese camellias have beautiful flowers and glossy evergreen leaves that provide year-round interest alongside magnolias.
Serviceberry: This small native tree produces delicate white flowers in early spring, followed by edible berries and colorful fall foliage. It's a lovely companion in larger garden beds or informal lawn plantings.
The vibrant purple-pink flowers of the Little Girl magnolias are easy to combine with other spring-flowering plants for a colorful garden display. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
Groundcovers and Low-Growing Perennials
Lenten Rose: These shade-tolerant perennials bloom in late winter and early spring, adding color beneath magnolias before their leaves emerge.
Cranesbill Geranium: Unlike the familiar annual geraniums, cranesbills are hardy perennials that form attractive mounds of foliage with delicate pink, purple, or blue flowers. Their spreading habit makes them excellent for filling in spaces beneath magnolias.
Blue Fescue: This compact ornamental grass adds fine texture and silvery-blue foliage that contrasts beautifully with the magnolia's broad green leaves.
Liriope: A dependable, grass-like perennial with evergreen to semi-evergreen foliage and purple flower spikes in late summer. It's useful for creating a tidy border around magnolia planting beds.
Blue Zinger Sedge: This low-growing sedge has narrow, blue-green foliage that provides a soft, textured groundcover beneath magnolias and along garden borders.
Companions That Extend the Blooming Season
Deutzia: This graceful flowering shrub produces masses of small white or pink flowers in late spring, often as the magnolia display is finishing.
Fringetree: This small native tree produces fragrant, fringe-like white flowers in late spring, extending the flowering season after the magnolias have finished blooming.
Panicle Hydrangeas: These summer-flowering shrubs provide large flower clusters long after the magnolias have finished blooming. They're especially useful for adding height and extending seasonal interest in mixed borders.
Summersweet: This native shrub produces fragrant white or pink flowers in midsummer, attracting pollinators and providing color when spring-flowering plants have finished.
The dark green foliage of Norway spruce provides a beautiful evergreen backdrop that makes the Little Girl magnolia flowers pop. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
Are the Little Girl Magnolias Deer-Resistant?
Little Girl magnolia trees are considered deer-resistant because their leathery leaves and slightly bitter taste tend to discourage browsing.
However, deer-resistant doesn't mean deer-proof. Hungry deer may still browse on magnolias when food is scarce, especially during winter or drought. Young trees are particularly vulnerable because of their tender new growth.
Protect young magnolias with fencing, netting, or individual plant cages until they're established.
The Little Girl magnolias have beautiful glossy green foliage that is generally resistant to deer browsing. Image © Plant and Bloom Design Studio
Little Girl Magnolias at a Glance
Common name: Little Girl magnolias, Girl magnolias
Scientific names: Magnolia 'Ann', Magnolia 'Betty', Magnolia 'Jane', Magnolia 'Judy', Magnolia 'Pinkie', Magnolia'Randy', Magnolia 'Ricki', and Magnolia 'Susan'
Hardiness zones: USDA Zones 3b–8
Mature size: Up to 20 feet tall and wide, depending on the cultivar
Growth rate: Slow to moderate
Light requirements: Full sun to partial shade
Foliage type: Deciduous, with alternate, simple, oval leaves
Flowering time: Mid to late spring
Flower color: Shades of pink, purple, and reddish-purple
Flower form: Cup-shaped to tulip-shaped
Fall color: Yellow to bronze
Deer resistant: Yes (protect young trees)