Magnolia ashei is a species of flowering plant in the family Magnoliaceae, endemic to northwestern Florida. It is known commonly as Ashe's magnolia. It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies or variety of Magnolia macrophylla which occurs further north in the southeastern United States, but is now generally considered a distinct species. It was discovered in Okaloosa County, Florida by William Willard Ashe, and named after him by Charles Alfred Weatherby.
Magnolia ashei is a deciduous small tree or large shrub, growing to 10âÂÂ12 m tall, only about half the height of M. macrophylla. The leaves are large to very large, 17âÂÂ56 cm long and 10âÂÂ40 cm wide. The flowers are large, fragrant, creamy white, often with a purple spot at the base of the inner tepals; they are 15âÂÂ38 cm wide, exceptionally up to 50 cm wide.
This species is endemic to the "panhandle" of Florida, where it grows from sea level up to 50 meters altitude.
Magnolia ashei is cultivated as an ornamental plant, used as a flowering tree in gardens. Young plants start flowering at an early age, even just 3âÂÂ4 years old, making it popular in gardening.