The City of Dunedin now has an official tree, flower and bird.

City commissioners voted 4 - 1 this week in favor of naming the southern magnolia, magnolia flower and osprey.

The work to choose a new city tree began in 2009.

An environmental quality committee wrote a report then saying the bauhinia tree, the city's original choice in 1968, is an invasive species and potentially harmful to the area's homegrown animals and plants.

The southern magnolia stands out for its durability, evergreen potential, salt tolerance, drought tolerance and beauty.

It is found in the coastal plains of the southern United Sates.

It produces large, white, fragrant flowers that start blooming in April in the Dunedin area.

It can reach between 60 and 80 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet in its spread.

The environmental quality committee, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, the Clearwater Audubon Society, Bay Bouquet Garden Club, the Dunedin Garden Club, civic groups and environmental organizations all contributed to the discussion and also suggested the creation of an official city flower and bird.

They agreed on the magnolia flower and the osprey, with the Bay Bouquet Garden Club suggesting the black eyed Susan as the city flower.