The southern magnolia, identified by William Bartram as the Laurel Magnolia growing along this river, was admired for its beauty and height. He described its dark green, shining, ovate, pointed, entire leaves forming a coronet around large, perfectly white flowers expanded like a full-blown rose. He considered its flowers the largest and most complete then known, measuring six, eight, and nine inches in diameter when fully expanded, and noted that its pericarpium and berries had an agreeable spicy scent and an aromatic bitter taste.