落葉性小喬木，高達 3~5 公尺，小枝淡灰褐色，嫩枝有毛，冬芽密生灰綠色長絨毛。葉互生，柄長 2~2.5 公分，葉片倒卵形至倒卵狀披圓形，長 10~18 公分，寬 5~10 公分，基部楔形或寬楔形，先端闊而突尖，全緣，上面有光澤，背面被柔毛。花先葉開放，單生枝端，花梗短，密生黃褐毛；花冠白色或外紫內緋白色，芳香，鐘形，大型，徑 12~15 公分；花被片 6，矩圓狀倒卵形，2 輪；雄蕊、心皮多數，花絲扁平，分別螺旋狀排列於伸長的柱狀花托上；心皮多數，卵形，聚合於花托上。蓇葖果頂端圓形，多數，聚合成圓筒形，長 7~10 公分。花期 2~3 月。果期 6~7 月。辛夷名稱的由來：本草綱目‧李時珍曰：「夷者，荑也荑其苞如荑而味辛也。」

A deciduous tree in the genus Magnolia, native to China. Trunk erect, bark gray-white; branchlets smooth, with prominent lenticels. Leaves alternate, obovate to obovate-oval, entire, glossy on the upper surface and pubescent under. Flowers white reddening or dark purple, fragrant; bracts 2-3 layered, each layer has 2-3 pieces, the outer layer densely covered with gray-white or gray-green fluff. Flowering from Feb. to March. Follicles round, plenty, aggregated into a cylindrical shape. Fruiting from June to July.

種植於在陽光直射、有機質豐富、排水良好的土壤中成長。透過種子或插枝繁殖。

The plants thrive in direct sunlight, in soils with rich organic matter and good drainage. Propagated by seeds or cuttings.

1. 園藝觀賞花木：早春白花(亦有白色帶紅暈、暗紫色者)滿樹，豔麗芳香，為馳名中外的庭園觀賞樹種。。2. 木材用途：材質優良，紋理直，結構細，供家具、圖板、細木工等用。3.藥用：具有治療鼻炎、肺炎、支氣管炎之功效。辛夷花含芳香油，花中提取的浸膏，可用於配製香皂、化妝香精等輕化和食品工業，是出口價值很高的貴重藥材和香料，而且它也是切花的重要材料，花瓣、葉及樹皮都可煉製香花油，枝、葉用水蒸氣蒸餾可收0.45％的精油；花被片食用或用以熏茶；種子榨油供工業用。

The plant could be cultivated as garden landscape tree; an excellent timber with straight grains and fine texture, suitable to make furniture, drawing board, joinery and for other purposes. With medicinal uses. Flowers contain aromatic essence, the extracts can be used to make soaps, cosmetic essences in chemical and food industries. Oil extracted from the seeds can be used for industrial purposes.