With their showy flowers , elate aroma , and shiny green leafage , magnolia are one some of the most popular flowering trees .

On this page : Basics|Planting|Care Requirements|Magnolias Up Close|Facts|Pictures|Best lieu to See Them

MAGNOLIA BASICS

Photo by : iPixela / Shutterstock .

The iconic southern magnolia ( Magnolia grandiflora ) is the most well - known . But magnolia , particularly the deciduous varieties , can be grown in almost any region of the U.S. From the tip of Florida to as far due north as Maine and Washington , there ’s a magnolia that will farm in your garden .

Zones:

4 - 9

Size:

Magnolias come in a wide array of cultivar that can suit the musical scale of any garden . Sizes rate from 15 - foot shrubs to massive Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that can turn over elevation of 80 feet or more .

Bloom time:

On deciduous varieties , the prime open in other spring before the parting appear . They emerge from gravid pussy - willow - same bud that adjust during the premature growing time of year and stay throughout declination and winter . Evergreen character bloom heaviest during the passage from spring to summertime . But , do n’t be surprised if your magnolia tree diagram reblooms in the summertime or early nightfall . It ’s not uncommon for sporadic peak to come out on new growth .

Types:

Eight species of magnolias — two evergreen plant and six deciduous — are native to the United States . These native species have proven quite adaptable and many can flourish in gardens outside their natural get zone .

Here are some of the most well - cognise eccentric of magnolia trees :

PLANTING MAGNOLIAS

When planting magnolias , beak the internet site carefully . They have astray - spread , shallow ascendant system that can be easily damaged during transplanting . big magnolia have branch spread of 30 to 40 infantry , making them utile as shade tree in larger pace . Compact , shrubby varieties are attractive in mete or as an ornamental tree diagram in Asiatic garden .

When:

flora evergreen magnolia in early spring . Plant deciduous magnolias during autumn if you live in the South and during spring if you hold up in the North .

Soil:

Well - drained , rich in organic topic . Can tolerate clay , loam , or arenaceous soils .

Exposure:

Evergreen variety produce best in full sunlight . Deciduous species favour part shade . Where rime is possible after flower begins , grow in a protected localization .

MAGNOLIA CARE

Magnolia Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree require little care and are tolerant to many disease and plague . They offer recollective life spans of 100 years or more given the right growing conditions .

Watering:

Most varieties tolerate hot summers and restrained drouth , making them a resilient option for garden in harsher mood . However , unseasoned tree diagram should be watered regularly until fully demonstrate .

Pruning:

Magnolias typically need trivial pruning other than to remove foil or damaged branches or for aesthetic reasons . The good time for pruning is soon after the tree has finish blooming , in either recent spring or former summer . Pruning too lately in the season will result in fewer blossoms the following spring .

Fertilizing:

If your magnolia is growing and flowering well , there is no penury to fertilize . However , if your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is n’t thriving or has yellow leaves , you should have your soil screen . Check with your local university ’s extension service to see if they allow for soil testing and good word for adding supplemental nutrients . If you do make up one’s mind to fertilize , wait until the spring after engraft your magnolia , then apply a slow release fertilizer just as your tree start to leaf out .

MAGNOLIAS UP CLOSE

While the magnolia is best known for its bloom , its foliage and fruit are also very attractive .

picture by : Kenneth Keifer / Shutterstock .

FLOWERS

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Magnolia trees are prized for their large blossom that perfume the balmy spring air with a sweet , reckless fragrance . Their magnificent tulip- or star - shaped flower can be as large as saucers when in full opened . They rate in colour from pink , over-embellished , white and even yellow . Some diversity have double blossoms .

Photo by : islavicek / Shutterstock .

FOLIAGE

Magnola Tree, Blooming Tree
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New York, NY

Evergreen species , such as the southern magnolia , have tumid , glossy , oval - shaped folio that stay attractive year - pear-shaped .

pic by : Jan Johnsen .

FRUIT

Magnola Tree, Blooming Tree
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New York, NY

The trees also bring on a strobilus - corresponding fruit with brightly color in seeds that attract songbird .

MAGNOLIA FACTS

For more entropy and facts , seePlant Lust : Magnolia

MAGNOLIA PICTURES

Photo by : Spring Hill Nurseries .

Magnolia virginianaGreen Mile ™ has an erect form good for allée planting , but also attractive as a single specimen . It has non-white green leafage with blank flowers that give off a fresh lemony aroma in early summer .

Magnolia‘Judy Zuk’has tulip - mold yellow flower with plum tinged groundwork that seem in early spring . This tree ’s leaf plow yellow in the fall before dropping for the winter .

Magnola Tree, Blooming Tree
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New York, NY

Photo by : Garden World Images Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo .

Magnolia grandiflora’Bracken ’s Brown Beauty ' , matures at 40 groundwork and is one of the most dusty - hardy selections , growing as far north as New England .

exposure by : Donald Buma / Millette Photomedia .

Magnola Tree, Blooming Tree
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New York, NY

Magnolia grandiflora’Little Gem ' , a dwarf variety with a summary narrow form , has large , white , fragrant blooms that issue in early summertime .

Photo by : Todd Boland / Millette Photomedia .

Magnolia×soulangeana , commonly known as saucer magnolia are the first to bloom in spring and have immense 5- to 10 - column inch bloom . They are compact , deciduous , low - forked trees that will grow to a height of 20 to 30 feet and are cold - audacious to Zone 5 . ' Brozzonii ' , a pop saucer magnolia cultivar , has large white flowers with lavender - pinkish base .

Magnola Tree, Blooming Tree
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New York, NY

pic by : Jonathan Ward / Millette Photomedia .

‘ Lilliputian’is another popular saucer magnolia which produce to a tallness of only 15 metrical foot and displays smaller pink bloom .

Photo by : Nikolay Kurzenko / Shutterstock .

Magnola Tree, Blooming Tree
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New York, NY

Star magnolias(Magnolia stellata)are other blooming , compact , deciduous bush that turn 15 to 20 feet marvellous and 10 to 15 feet spacious . ' Centennial ' is a cultivar which features 5 - inch bloom with a easygoing pink blush .

exposure by : Mariola Anna S / Shutterstock .

Magnolia stellata’Royal Star’has pinkish buds that open to big , fragrant , whitened peak .

Magnola Tree, Blooming Tree
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New York, NY

picture by : Rob Cardillo .

Loebner magnolias(Magnolia×loebneri ) , another deciduous salmagundi , bring out an copiousness of star - shaped heyday from March through April . Shown here is ‘ Leonard Messel ’ , with its dark and faint pink , fragrant , 4 - column inch flowers on a tree that grows to 20 feet .

exposure by : Bertrand Dumont / Millette Photomedia .

Magnolia×loebneri‘Merrill’is a slightly magniloquent cultivar and expect 3 - inch fragrant white flowers .

picture by : Jorge Salcedo / Shutterstock .

‘ Ballerina’is another Loebner miscellany which grow to 20 foot tall , with white flowers .

BEST PLACES TO SEE THEM

To locate public gardens and arboretums that have notable magnolia collections , tally this mapfrom The Magnolia Society International .