An Overview Of The Magnolia
 (Read 50+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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Magnolia is a diverse group of fragrant flowering evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. There are thousands of cultivars available with more hybrids being developed every year. Most Magnolias are large but even the smaller ones are not easily moved once planted so it is best to pick the sight for a Magnolia carefully taking into account their impressive height at maturity. These plants prefer a well draining soil, rich and slightly acidic. They will grow fine in neutral soil but when growing in a soil that is alkaline they may develop chlorosis which tends to turn the otherwise green leaves a sickly yellow.
Maintaining grass from growing around the trees, at least in the early years, is advisable for keeping tender roots happy. With a ring of mulch at its base, the roots will be both cooled in summer and warmed in winter. Their sensitive root system doesn’t like to be trampled on unnecessarily and with less foot traffic the ground won’t get compressed.
In general the flowers are impressive in size and much admired for the fragrance. Magnolias bloom mostly in the spring though there are cultivars such as the deciduous Magnolia Soulangiana, commonly known as the Saucer Magnolia, which has its full spring bloom then continues sporadically flowering throughout the growing season. These flowers for the Saucer Magnolia are large, about 6 inches across, cup shaped, a bit like a tulip and usually pinkish purple, reddish purple or white with pink streaks, depending on variety. These grow as large shrubs or multi-stemmed trees getting 25 feet tall and as wide though possibly wider at times. The leaves are a bit coarse, medium green and 4-6 inches long. Makes a great lawn tree and is hardy in zones 5-9.
The tree universally known as the true Magnolia is the evergreen Magnolia Grandiflora also commonly called the Southern Magnolia though it can tolerate some colder regions. In the coldest areas it may lose its evergreen statice when the leaves drop off. This one can be a multi-stemmed or single stemmed tree growing to 80 feet with a 40 foot wide canopy. The leaves are glossy, dark green and up to 8 inches long. The flowers are about the biggest of all Magnolias at 8-10 inches across. They are pure white at first and as they age they turn creamy and finally beige. The fragrance is so powerful you can smell it throughout the neighborhood when in bloom. Blooming happens in one full burst in spring with occasional flowering during the summer and into autumn. Large, showy bright orange-red seed clusters form, looking a bit like pine cones, after flowering making a bit of a mess after they fall. For the impressive lawn tree this one can’t be beat. Hardy in zones 6-10
Sweet Bay Magnolia, (MagnoliaVirginiana) is a semi-evergreen tree. In southern areas within its range it will retain its leaves throughout the winter and grows considerably large to 60 feet high with a 20 foot wide spread. It is a bit more cold hardy than the M. Grandiflora, to zones 5-9 but it will lose its leaves in the coldest areas. The flowers come from June to September and are a creamy white color, round like a globe, fragrant and 2-3 inches wide. Sweet Bays like moist, acidic soil and actually grows in the swampy areas in eastern United States. The 2-5 inch long leaves are gray-green on top and close to white underneath. In the northern most areas it grows more like a shrub, only 10-20 feet tall.
The Star Magnolia (M. Stellata) is a deciduous shrub growing in zones 4-8. It can get 10 feet tall with a 20 foot wide spread and is very slow growing. It gets its name from the somewhat star-shaped flowers most unlike other Magnolias. The19-21 petals are long, lazily floppy in a stark white. They are the earliest to bloom in late winter or early spring with the frost at times nipping them prematurely spoiling the otherwise lovely show. Most cultivars are pleasantly fragrant and bloom profusely.
Magnolia Cordata is commonly called the Yellow Magnolia or the Yellow Cucumber Tree. This slow growing deciduous Magnolia is 35 feet tall and equally wide. The large (4 inches wide) lemon-scented flowers appear as the leaves start to unfurl. They are a pretty greenish yellow on the outside and a sunny yellow within. Lovely tree for the border of large properties or as a lawn tree.
These are just a handful of all the Magnolias available to the gardener though they are the most desirable, loveliest and doubtless would make your neighbors sit up and take notice. Plant one or two and see for yourself. You’ll love them.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 visit http://www.helium.com/user/32782 for more amazing garden lessons, cute short stories and funny novel excerpts.
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