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 - Click to close

Pests & Diseases
Scale insects, honey fungus, coral spot.
Place of origin
Raised at Washington Arboretum, Seattle, USA, from seeds from Japan.
Magnolias - larger gardens
Magnolia
Deciduous
Narrow, dark-green leaves to 18cm (7in) long. Leaves are bronze tinted when young.
White
Cup-shaped
Open cup-shaped to 15cm (6in) across with 6 large tepals.
Fully hardy
Entire
Ovate
Height
9m (30ft)
Spread
7m (23ft)
Tree
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
Fertile moist well-drained soil
Humus-rich
Neutral to acid soil
Full sun
Shelter from strong winds.
Partial shade
Broadly conical
Rounded to broadly spreading

Mature Size

9m (30ft)
	7m (23ft)

View Planting Tips and Care Advice

Magnolia - A guide to sizing and pricing

Sizing & Pricing of Magnolias - Video Tip ondemand_video

Magnolia - Care Guide

Magnolia - Hybridisation

Magnolia - Propagation

Magnolia - Spotlight Videos

Planting to avoid allergic reactions and asthma

Shrubs and Trees - Seeds - 1) Collecting Seeds

Shrubs and Trees - Seeds - 2) Storing Seeds

Shrubs and Trees - Seeds - 3) Planting Seeds

Planting seeds in spring

Trees - Care Guide

Search Caerhays Garden Diary for more info & pictures

View Customers Also Bought

MAGNOLIA liliiflora 'Nigra'

Available from £19.00

view

MAGNOLIA x soulangeana 'Lennei'

Tulip magnolia

Available from £18.50

view

MAGNOLIA 'Susan'

Available from £20.00

view

EUCRYPHIA x nymansensis 'Nymansay'

Brush bush

Available from £25.00

view

View Planting Combinations

CAMELLIA 'Donation' and MAGNOLIA 'Wada's Memory'

MAGNOLIA 'Wada's Memory' and CAMELLIA saluenensis

MAGNOLIA 'Wada's Memory' and RHODODENDRON desquematum

MAGNOLIA 'Wada's Memory' and RHODODENDRON macabeanum

MAGNOLIA delavayi

The most spectacular of all Chinese evergreen magnolias. Fragrant white flowers which fade to cream persistantly from JUN-NOV. In windier spots it is best grown against a wall

Specimen

£115.00

Notify me

Estimated availability autumn 2025 Any time SEPT-DEC
Not yet confirmed. Could be any time between September and December.

MAGNOLIA denudata

Scented pure white cup-shaped flowers

Medium

£70.00

Notify me

Available again from NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2025
Despatch will be anytime during November or December as stock becomes available. Bareroot hedging and roses can be delayed by unfavourable weather conditions.