Home » City Guide » , , ,

SF’s Magnificent “Peak” Magnolia Bloom is Here (2023)

The peak of SF’s gorgeous annual bloom is here, just in time for Valentine’s Day
By - posted 2/8/2023 No Comment

One of San Francisco’s most breathtaking natural marvels, the annual bloom of more than 200 rare and historic magnolias with trees reaching 80 feet, is typically at its peak from mid-January through March at the SF Botanical Garden.

Velvety silver buds on the often bare branches of these elegant trees, many rare and historic, open into dazzling pink, magenta, and white flowers, filling the wintery garden with dramatic splashes of color and sweetly fragrant scents.

2023 Magnolia Update

Current Status (as of 2/8/23):​ Peak Bloom is Here!

Peak magnolia bloom is on and will last for the next 2-3 weeks. Get out here and experience this beautiful annual spectacle. The garden makes for quite a romantic and joyful stroll if you need easy, safe, outdoor Valentine’s Day plans. 

  • The first wave in mid January is the garden’s signature M. campbellii which are first to bloom in the Camellia Garden with some M. sprengeri starting around the same time in the Temperate Asia collection and near Fountain Plaza.
  • Starting late-January into the first couple weeks of February the bloom crescendos into “peak bloom” with all the various M. campbellii cultivars, M. dawsoniana, M. denudata, and more putting on the best show of the season throughout the areas where there are concentrations of large, beautiful trees—Temperate Asia, Camellia Garden, Moon Viewing Garden, and Rhododendron Garden.
  • Late February into March, the hybrid M. x. soulangeana, M. x. veitchii , as well as more subtle M. stellata, and M. laevifolia close out the annual display just as all the many other spring blooming plants at the Garden start to flower and fresh foliage begins to push.

Are the magnolias blooming right now? Please note that weather may affect the blooms, and at the beginning or end of the season, there may be fewer blooms than expected.

> Magnolia Tip: Always check the SF Botanical Gardens on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter before heading out for the latest updates on how things are blooming.

Annual Magnolia Bloom | 2023
San Francisco Botanical Garden, Golden Gate Park near 9th and Irving
Mid January – Late March (approx)
2023 Magnolia Map.pdf

Hours
Garden opens at 7:30am
Last entry varies
– 1st Sunday in November – January: 4pm
– February – 2nd Saturday in March: 5pm
– 2nd Sunday in March – September: 6pm

Admission
– FREE for SF residents with proof of ID
– FREE daily from 7:30-9 am (enter via the main gate)
– FREE all day on the second Tuesday of the month
– FREE – Museums for All – All visitors receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) are offered free general admission. Free admission may be redeemed by presenting a valid EBT card upon entry.
– $10-13 for Non-residents | Discounts for Seniors, Families & Children

San Francisco Botanical Garden is home to the most significant magnolia collection for conservation purposes outside China, where the majority of species originated. Its current collection includes 51 species and 33 cultivars including many prized examples from Asia.