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

Good to know
An ancient genus named after Pierre Magnol, French botanist, 1638-1715. Evolving before bees plants were pollinated by beetles. Grown for their showy, solitary, fragrant flowers. These can be cup-shaped, saucer-shaped, goblet-shaped or star-shaped and often appear before the leaves. Colours range from pure white to white with blushes or stains of pink or purple, rich pink and purple, and various shades of yellow. Cone-like fruit is produced in autumn on more mature specimens.
Place of origin
Himalayas, eastern and southeastern Asia, eastern North America to tropical North and South America
Youtube video
View Timelapse Magnolia 'Royal Crown'
Deciduous
Evergreen
Tall Shrub
Tree

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

MAGNOLIA acuminata 'Blue Opal'

Cucumber tree

Spectacular blue buds turn dark yellow as they open. This is a unique colour in the magnolia world

Medium

£70.00

Large

£80.00

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Currently out of stock, please check again soon

Specimen

£95.00

MAGNOLIA acuminata 'Koban Dori'

Cucumber tree

Soft canary-yellow blooms which open as the leaf appears in spring. Its neat pyramidal habit and restricted overall size makes it very suitable for suburban gardens

Medium

£70.00

Large

£80.00

MAGNOLIA acuminata 'Miss Honeybee'

Cucumber tree

Light yellow fragrant flowers open just before or alongside the leaves

Medium

£70.00

MAGNOLIA acuminata 'Seiju'

Blue-green tulip-shaped flowers

Large

£80.00

MAGNOLIA 'Advance'

A hybrid bred by Vance Hooper in New Zealand. Clear lilac-purple goblet-shaped blooms on this hybrid between M. soulangeana 'Burgundy' and M. 'Vulcan'

Medium

£70.00

Large

£80.00

MAGNOLIA 'A.E. Bold'

Purple

Medium

£70.00

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

MAGNOLIA 'Albatross'

Bred by Peter Borlase of Lanhydrock this excellent and vigorous hybrid has large white flowers which are very distinctive especially in bud

Medium

£70.00

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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.