Magnolia denudata is a rather low, rounded, thickly branched, and coarse-textured tree to 30 feet (9.1 m) tall. The leaves are ovate, bright green, 15 cm long and 8 cm wide. The bark is a coarse, dark gray. The 10–16 cm white flowers that emerge from early to late spring, while beautiful and thick with a citrus-lemon fragrance, are prone to browning if subjected to frost.