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.

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Plant Details

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

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 x soulangeana 'Satisfaction'

Tulip magnolia

Exceptionally large fragrant red-pink flowers in April and May. Petals are red-pink outside and white inside

Medium

£70.00

Large

£80.00

MAGNOLIA sprengeri 'Diva' 'Burncoose'

A deep glowing rose-purple form raised at Burncoose by the late head gardener, Mr Arnold Dance

Seedling

£25.00

Medium

£70.00

Notify me

Available late spring to early summer 2025
Spring according to the Met Office is defined as March 1st - May 31st. Therefore late spring is mid-April onwards. This is not a guaranteed date but an estimate and subject to availability.

MAGNOLIA sprengeri 'Lanhydrock'

With us this flowers much later in the season than other sprengeri forms. It also has deeper pink flowers than other forms but clearly a sprengeri shape

Medium

£70.00

MAGNOLIA sprengeri 'Marwood Spring'

A simply splendid form from this well known garden

Large

£80.00

MAGNOLIA sprengeri 'Westonbirt'

Pale pink

Large

£80.00

MAGNOLIA 'Spring Rite'

Very fragrant, large pure white flowers with a hint of pink at the base. Fast growing

Large

£80.00

Specimen

£110.00

MAGNOLIA 'Star Wars'

Free-flowering form with star-shaped bright pink flowers. One of the most popular of the new crop of New Zealand hybrids which grows quickly and flowers at a young age

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.