MAGNOLIA

MAGNOLIAS, named after the French botanist Pierre Magnol, are an ancient genus and it is thought that pollination was by beetles as the trees appeared before bees. Fossilised remains from the family are 95 million years old.

The main centre of distribution is eastern and southeastern Asia with a secondary centre in eastern North America, Central America, the West Indies and South America.

LARGE and SPECIMEN sized magnolias are almost all grafted plants. Many are also very rare.

LARGE plants are 2-3 year old grafts and SPECIMEN plants 3-5 year old grafts.

Different Magnolia varieties grow at very different speeds and therefore the size of a LARGE or a SPECIMEN plant and the exact pot size it is delivered in can vary markedly for plants of identical age and also on time of year, since Magnolias can grow very quickly.

Many more magnolia pictures can be found on the Caerhays Website and The Garden Diary.

Full Plant Details - Sun/Soil & other attributes

Good to know
From a batch of seed from M. kobus var. borealis. Can bloom for up to 6 weeks.
Pests & Diseases
Scale insects, honey fungus, coral spot.
Place of origin
Garden origin. USA. A seedling selected by Larry Langford, Gibson, Tennessee
Magnolias - smaller gardens
Magnolia
Deciduous
Narrowly obovate, mid green leaves 10-15cm (4-5in) long.
White
Pink buds
Double
Multi rows of petals, no stamen showing
Star-shaped
10-12cm (4-5in) across
Suitable for small gardens
Fully hardy
Entire
Obovate
Height
5m (16ft)
Spread
4m (13ft)
Tall Shrub
Or small tree. Slender-branched, upright habit. Full flowers with 50+ tepals
Pruning group 1
Suitable for: Deciduous and evergreen trees, and some deciduous shrubs.
Pruning: Minimal pruning required. Prune wayward or crossing branches to maintain a healthy framework.
When: When dormant in the late winter/early spring. Some in the summer/autumn to prevent bleeding of sap.
Hardy - very cold winter
Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe. Plant can possibly withstand temperatures down to -20°C (-4°F)
Scented flowers
Spring Seasonal Interest
Fertile moist well-drained soil
Humus-rich.
Neutral to acid soil
Neutral to alkaline soil
Full sun
Shelter from strong winds.
Partial shade