Most of the deciduous magnolia that are available in eastern North America; precocious, large leaf, or otherwise, are hardy to at least zone 5a.

Like other large-growing magnolia species cucumber tree takes a long time to reach flowering size when raised from seed. And the flowers can be pretty subtle, being usually partly greenish and appearing mostly after the leaves have been developing for awhile.

For that matter all of the native eastern North American magnolia species are from different parts of the genus than the showy east Asian Yulania that have given the popular garden forms that display conspicuous masses of showy flowers before the leaves come out.

Sweetbay is a good one to have near a sitting area, so the flowers can be enjoyed up close.

Magnolia fraseri, the Fraser magnolia, is probably one of the prettiest hardy magnolias native to the US. It hails from the Southern Appalachian Mountains, growing in cove forests. Its flowers are sweetly scented, and more showy than Cucumber tree and Umbrella magnolia, and it can take cold better than the Southern magnolias. However, it is hard to locate - I've only found one place that sells it (mail order): Go Native Tree Farm (www.gonativetrees.com) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I like Fraser magnolia also. It is an upland species. The lowland version is var. pyramidata, similar but with smaller parts.

Sweetbay magnolia should do well in your area. They are pretty hardy and seem to have no problems adapting even further north than you are. Always remember that magnolias require moist soil and don't tolerate very dry conditions (probably not an issue in your area). You should also keep in mind that magnolias are prone to magnolia scale.

Here is a link that might be useful: LawnEQ

Scale on magnolia can be fatal to them, as I found out years back. Fortunately, it is now easily treated with systemics such as the Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub (active ingredient imadicloprid).

i used to live.near lafayette indiana. sweetbay grew fine, the saucer types did fine, all hybrids with acuminata parwntage did fine. selected cultivars of southern magnolia, m. grandiflora did olay to fine, depending on location...they definitely preferred to be out of the wind...obvious by the end of winter, but they leafed.out fine and behaved as though nothing was wrong (edith bogue, bracken's brown beauty) .

and there are a host of other species that would do fine...but unless you choose dedicate a.substantial chunk of your life, fortune, and sanity to magnolia, hardly worth the effort.

for what its worth...the medium pink and plae.pink hybrids.of saucer magnolia did fine...tje darker the color became, the more red, the poorer it wintered. just an observation based on what i saw on the indiana prairie

Thanks so much for all the great replies! I will be sure to keep you updated.