Two binary alloys, Mg-1Ce and Mg-1Gd (wt.%), were subjected to severe deformation via. single-pass rolling, followed by annealing treatments at different temperatures. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction techniques were applied to characterize the respective texture and microstructure evolution. Correlations between the material composition and the deformation, recrystallization and grain growth events were established. Mg-1Ce displayed typical split basal textures post rolling with little modification during the transition from deformation to recrystallization, eventually producing a predominantly basal texture. On the other hand, Mg-1Gd produced significant texture modification, starting from a split basal deformation texture, which was eventually replaced by a RD-TD double split texture. The texture modification in the Mg-1Gd alloy was attributed to favorable grain growth during the recrystallization and grain growth events.