Magnolia grandiflora 'D.D. Blanchard' is a magnificent, fast-growing evergreen tree prized for its huge, fragrant white flowers and stunning, two-toned foliage. This superior selection of the classic Southern Magnolia features large, leathery, glossy dark green leaves with a striking, velvety, rusty-brown to reddish-brown underside that adds textural contrast when the wind blows. In late spring through summer, it produces an abundance of enormous, cup-shaped, creamy-white flowers up to 12 inches across, with a strong, sweet, lemony fragrance that perfumes the garden. The flowers are followed by showy, cone-like red seeds in fall, attracting birds. With its fast growth rate, pyramidal form maturing to a broad, dense canopy that provides excellent shade, exceptional cold hardiness, and tolerance for a range of conditions, it is an outstanding choice for a specimen tree, privacy screen, or shade tree in large landscapes.