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Updated March 15th, 2007
By Robin Corwin - LCF Outlook
Magnolias for Every Season
When most people think of magnolias, they picture large evergreen
trees that bear enormous ivory flowers in summer. They’re thinking of
Magnolia grandiflora, the Southern magnolia, which can reach 80 feet
tall at maturity. This stately giant needs to be carefully situated so its
shallow, fleshy root system doesn’t damage sidewalks and drains.
Deciduous magnolias aren’t as vigorous. Flowering right now
across the Southland on leafless branches, they’re slow growing to 10
to 25 feet tall depending on the species. Magnolia stellata, which came
to England from Japan in 1877, is famous for its icy white flowers with
long, narrow petals that resemble stars. The limbs supporting these delicate-
looking blooms are ashen gray. Cultivars with copious petalled
flowers, some in shades of pink and some sweetly scented, are available.
Growing slowly to 10 feet tall and 20 feet wide, they’re lovely
when sited where their winter display can be appreciated from indoors.
My favorite magnolia, Magnolia lilliflora, produces lily-like
blooms that are white inside and ruby-purple outside. Introduced into
England from China in 1790 by the Third Duke of Portland, it gets 12
feet tall and 15 feet wide and makes a grand focal point. I first saw the
gorgeous, dark-flowered cultivar, ‘Nigra,’ in Vita Sackville-West’s
incomparable English garden at Sissinghurst Castle.
The beloved saucer magnolia, M. x soulangeana, is a cross between
M. lilliflora and M. denudata made by a French cavalry officer in 1827.
Most cultivars are multi-trunked trees to 25 feet tall and wide at maturity,
though newer hybrids stay smaller. Flowers are fragrant in hues
ranging from pale pink to deep red-purple. ‘Lilliputian’ tops out at 18
feet and bears white blooms with a pink reverse.
Eight fragrant magnolias in the “Little Girl” series were bred at the
United States National Arboretum to avoid frost damage by blooming
late in the season. All are petite, usually topping out at 15 feet or less.
‘Ann,’ ‘Betty,’ ‘Jane,’ ‘Judy,’ ‘Randy,’ ‘Ricki,’ ‘Pinkie’ and Susan’ were
named after the wives, daughters and secretaries of their developers.
Monrovia Nursery is a good source for deciduous magnolias.
Taking care of them is as simple as providing rich soil, good drainage
and ample water. Since they don’t like to be transplanted, correct initial siting is essential. Magnolias abhor hot, dry winds; but if protected
from them and deeply watered during summer, they’ll thrive here and
provide charming winter interest and cooling summer shade. |
