The flowers are fragrant and 10–15 cm wide, with 9–12 (rarely to 17) white tepals, and appear from May to June.

The two varieties are: M. officinalis differs very little from Magnolia obovata; the only difference consistently observed between the two is that the fruit aggregate of M. officinalis has a rounded base, while that of M. obovata has an acute base.

[3] The highly aromatic bark is stripped from the stems, branches, and roots and used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as hou po (厚朴; thus the common name).

The traditional use indications are to eliminate damp and phlegm, and relieve distension.

[4] Today, the bulk of bark used for commercial and domestic use is supplied by plants in cultivation.