It is a magnolia, not a gardenia

Ok it is a sweetbay magnolia.......and I have to have one!!!! As many magnolia trees we have at home in Louisiana I have never seen this one. But it will do well in my area so......
Right now DH and I are in Newport News Va till Dec. for his work.

I believe it's a magnolia... Google magnolia and see if the leaves and the flower are the same.

I have two magnolias, one about 40 feet tall, the other much smaller because it was either planted or came up wild under a huge oak tree. The small one has flowers and leaves and seed pods like the ones in your picture. They are slightly smaller versions of the flowers and "fruit" the large tree bears. The squirrels and the birds love the seed pods, but the pods are sharp as razors after the seeds fall out. My bet it is a magnolia of some kind. froggyintexas

Looks like my Southern Magnolia.

i believe it is a rhododendron. We have tons of them in Washington state; it's our state flower, and it looks just like all of the rhodies that we have in our yard. They can grow very large, and even uncontrollable!

Rhodies
 

here are some links to rhodies:

http://artsuppliesonline.com/blog/rh...dronorchid.jpg

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1...-murawski.html

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...choosing-trees

Tell me what you think, but it sure looks like what we all have in our yards.