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I see these trees by mid March in our area of Kentucky and they are truly magnificent. For years I called them the Tulip Tree simply because they blooms looked like tulips. Some folks referred to them as Saucer Magnolia, Black Tulip tree or Japanese Magnolia. However, the correct name is the Soulangeana Magnolia and you pronounce Soulangeana as soo-lan-jee-AY-nah.
The buds are about 1 inch long and fuzzy and when they open the flowers are composed of 6 waxy petals in a goblet arrangement that range from 5 to 6 inches in diameter, some with interior colors of pure white and exterior colors of pink and purple hues.
This tree is sometimes referred to as a shrub. However they grow too tall for me to consider them a shrub and with leaves of 5 to 8 inches of dark green beauty it makes for a majestic addition to anyone’s yard by growing to about 20 feet tall.
Not only is the Soulangeana Magnolia a prolific bloomer it is a fragrant tree. A native of Japan the Soulangeana Magnolia will want to be planted in rich soil with lots of organic matter and the place you select must be well drained but moist. When you want to prune your Soulangeana Magnolia you will need to do it after the flowering but before setting buds for the next season in order to prevent bleeding of the sap and keep your pruning at a minimum in order to keep a healthy framework.
Your Soulangeana Magnolia will like to be planted in a protected area because you want to keep the blooming delayed as long as possible to get your tree past any late frosts which can burn off the very early blooms and it wants morning sun and filtered shade in the heat of the day.
Should your area be subject to a drought during the summer you will need to mulch your tree and give it a good weekly watering. Those of you living in USDA Zones 4 to 9 will be able to enjoy a Soulangeana Magnolia.
This would be a tree I would buy in a container from my favorite nursery. However, you can sow Soulangeana Magnolia seeds in the autumn or do root softwood cuttings in the early summer. Soulangeana Magnolia can be layered in the early spring and for those of you who want to do grafting the time to do it is in the winter and it can be propagated by bud in the summer.
The Soulangeana Magnolia is subject to spot anthracnose, canker, bacterial leaf spot, butt rot, dieback, fungal spots, powdery mildew, snails, anthracnose, thrips, scale insects and planthoppers.
The Soulangeana Magnolia is a slow growing tree, but it is worth the planting and the waiting and makes an excellent specimen tree.
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/
To see Arlene’s Gardens and to read her gardening diaries or click on Arlene’s Books where you can download or buy her gardening & cook books. Arlene says, “All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and I thank you for visiting my site.”
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