It was named after Father Delavay, French Catholic missionary in China, who collected it.

Magnolia delavayi is a small evergreen tree 8–15 metres (26–49 ft) in height with gray to grayish-black bark.

[1] The flowers are fragrant, cup-shaped, 15–25 cm broad, with nine thick, creamy white to pink tepals; stamens ca.

[1] Magnolia delavayi is native to southern China, occurring in Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan at 1,500-2,800 m of elevation.

[1] Magnolia delavayi is grown as an ornamental tree for its evergreen foliage as well as flowers.