Some kind of Michelia / Magnolia.
Whatever it is, I'd love a cutting of it and would gladly pay postage.
I've got a couple of Michelias / Magnolias with leaves exactly like that. I'm waiting on them to bloom. They are way bigger than what you seem to have in that pot, but no blooms yet. And to be truthful, when some of my "special" and "rare" michelias bloom it seems like the fragrance wasn't worth waiting for. Almost non-existent in some varieties.
Seriously, I'd love cuttings.
How long are the leaves?

Carrie,

The pictures show a dwarf Magnolia which is cultivated as a fragrant houseplant for centuries. It is Magnolia coco (aka Liriodendron coco, Michelia pumila, Michelia coco).

There are a few similar species. The one I have is the smallest. She is a shrub possibly smaller than Gardenia. Like Gardenia, they love acid soil too. I estimate the leaves are only 3-5 inches long. The white flowers of the unique Magnolia open quietly at sunset. Over night, she releases an intoxicating sweet-pineapple scent. The scent is unusually powerful. There is a reason to it. Most magnolias lack nectar, but the Magnolia coco is a nice exception - it secretes a nectar-like substance inside the flower.

Sadly, after just one night of beauty and perfume, the short-lived flower falls off the second day.

Gladly, Magnolia coco keeps producing new buds for 9+ months each year. If planted outdoors in mild climate, they bloom in spring, fall and winter. I think there are quite a few venders selling them in the US. The plant is also quite popular in Europe, the UK, etc.

Below are a few images of a single flowered/species plant. Notice this Magnolia is a small shrub. Double flowered cultivars exist in cultivation (check here).
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P.S. Carrie, it is interesting to know you have a collection of rare Magnolias. Would you show us a name list, for us to admire?

Snasxs,

Where'd you get yours? It's very hard to find even through mail order, particularly in a decent size.

Jim

Jim,

After a google search, I find these: FE of California sells 1-2 feet plants in 6" pots at $45 each. TT of Florida sells these in 1 gallon pots at $40. Numerous other venders have these in stock. Although the price is a little high, the plant is truly wonderful. Finally, we have a small Magnolia which can be kept successfully indoors; and she is even fragrant!

I didn't realize magnolias are grown as houseplants, since I've never seen dwarfs? for sale.
I have a Magnolia out front..(don't know its type) Buds form in early spring, (IL) Flowers are white/pink.
Has anyone ever tried taking a cutting from hardy Magnolia? If so, how did you do it? Also, would we use old wood or new growth? Thanks so much..I love experimenting..Toni

Let me try to make a list-
M. figo
whichever one is the 'improved' banana shrub - skinneria?
M. maudiae (hasn't bloomed yet but I've seen a mature one and it is fabulous)
M. foveolata (hasn't bloomed yet, just bought it this Christmas)
M. fordiana (probably isn't going to make it)
M. platypetella (don't buy it for fragrance)
M. fogi (don't buy this one for fragrance, kind of a weak magnolia smell)
Plus 2 others that won't be identified until they bloom. One has really long leaves. The other also has longish leaves.

Toni, Cuttings are pretty easy. I'd take a cutting from new growth that has hardened up just a tad, like around August. Then root it just like you would root anything else. I've been able to root lots of Michelias, and they grow really fast from cuttings.

Carrie,

What an impressive list!

Please be patient to your Magnolias, especially those large trees!

Magnolia platypetala is a tree about 65 feet tall. A mature plant produces a ton of flowers from December to April. The peak of blossoms is in March when ice starts to melt. It is recorded that every leaf produces a flower. The blooming scene is indeed powerful. The tree is quite fragrant as a whole.

The endangered M foveolata is also a large tree. The flowers look like figo!

Enjoy your Southern beauties!

I didn't realize magnolias are grown as houseplants, since I've never seen dwarfs? I have a Magnolia out front..Buds form in early spring, (IL) Flowers are white/pink..

Toni, these are ever-green Magnolias. They look quite different from yours. Have you ever seen a Southern Magnolia?

You said that with the platys, "every leaf produces a flower"
I believe it. You should see it now. Knee high and COVERED with blooms.
If I had the time I would post a picture.
I'm always on the look out for the rest of the Michellias, so let us know if you find any.

The figos are blooming right now. I swear, heaven couldn't get any better than my very own 2 acres in Texas.

Carrie,

I am green in jealousy about your blooming figos. Somehow, we donÂt have any M figo near DC. I think we are mild enough for them though.

Oh, I want to see the little platys stick which is "knee high and covered with blooms"? How interesting! Please take some pictures :-) The sheer number of blooms on a mature tree guarantees a wafting fragrance.

I think you will have a pleasant journey in searching for these Southern beauties. There are hundreds of "exotic" Magnolias. Unfortunately, some are still to be (re)discovered before they become extinct! I will certainly post more when I have a little more time.

 still waiting for your platys pictures ;-)

Snasxs, I've seen southern mags..flowers look like wax, and I think, (it's been years) they're fragrant..they're the most beautiful trees in southern IL.
We used to go to Springfield, Il Zoo..outside, before the gates, stood 2 gorgoues southern magnolias..green w/envy, lol, I searched for this mag, (I'm north of Springfield) found one at HD, planted, but it's not the same type. sigh. Mine grows white and pink flowers in early spring..flowers don't have the waxy look I drooled over..

Logees may still sell M. Figo..but I'm not too impressed with their plants the last 10 years, so I stopped ordering from them..Toni

Does anyone know what nursery Snasxs is reffering to by FE? If this is actually Flora Exotica in Quebec, then the price has gone up quite some amount since 2008. I'm sure as some of you may have noticed, this plant fetches quite a lot of moola on eBay for a little plant. And we thought Michelia alba was expensive! XD

Snasxs, if you still come to this forum, I thought you might be interested in the following. The Chinese settlers that came to Thailand and Cambodia did not bring Magnolia figo, which we most of us know can be quite fragrant, I believe it has been relatively unknown there until recent times. However, they did bring with them Magnolia coco and it has captivated the hearts of poets there for decades if not a couple of centuries. In fact, in those two countries it's known there by it's Chinese name Yi Hup (perhaps ChaoZhou dialect, or Ye He in Mandarin) which describes the flower releasing a fragrance at night. And among other magnolias there it is only superceded by M. x alba, M. liliifera, and maybe M. champaca (although the latter's fragrance is not the most appreciated).