Blooming magnolias always attract the eyes of passers-by, because they are literally strewn with bright, fairly large flowers, which makes them incredibly attractive. Magnoliaceae have a fairly extensive genus, numbering more than a dozen species. Therefore, every gardener will be able to choose a plant that is suitable for him.
Description
Magnolia is a tree or large shrub of the Magnoliaceae family with evergreen or deciduous, entire leaves.
Magnolias have solitary, bisexual flowers with a bright, pleasant aroma. They can be axillary or terminal. The diameter of the flowers is from 6 to 35 cm. The petals are arranged in one row, tiledly overlapping each other. Magnolia blooms in early spring, but there are species that bloom only in early summer.
The fruits of the plant have a shape similar to a cone, which consists of leaflets with seeds. After the fruits open, the black seeds hang down on the seed threads.
Possible plant colors
Magnolia flowers range in color from white and soft pink to deep pink and purple. The range of shades between these colors seems inexhaustible. There are also blue-green flowers, but they don’t stand out much between the foliage. It is also rare to see yellowish shades of magnolias.
Popular varieties and varieties
There is a suitable magnolia variety for every garden with any size and plants. Although they can be very different from each other, all types are united by extraordinary beauty and attractiveness.
Interesting to know! Scientists believe that magnolia appeared during the reign of dinosaurs on earth.
Large-flowered
It grows naturally in North America. This is an evergreen tree species that can tolerate frosts down to -30 °C. It has large white flowers up to 25 cm in diameter and no less large cone-shaped fruits with a bright color.
At first the tree grows slowly, but over time it accelerates and can annually grow by 60 cm. It prefers rich sandy loam soil. Large-flowered magnolia tolerates city conditions well.
Star-shaped
The homeland of this variety is Japan. It is a deciduous small tree or shrub with a spherical crown.The flowers reach 10 cm in diameter. They have elongated, ribbon-shaped white petals that resemble “stars”.
This species begins flowering earlier than others. Star magnolia blooms long before the leaves appear on the branches.
Kobus
Magnolia Kobus is native to Northern and Central Japan or South Korea. In nature it grows along mountain rivers. A deciduous tree, the crown of which at a young age has a narrow pyramidal pointed shape, and with age it becomes wider and rounder.
The foliage of the plant is darker on top than on the bottom. The flowers are milky-white, up to 10 cm in diameter. The plant begins to flower in the 8-15th year of life. Blooms in early spring, before foliage begins to appear.
This species is frost-resistant and one of the fastest growing among magnolias.
Siebold
This species is distinguished by its short growth, which ranges from 3.5 to 4 m. The flowers are highly decorative. The purple stamen stands out brightly against the white background of the flower. Buds on the plant begin to appear in late spring - early summer.
Siebolda loves well-drained, well-moistened soil. It tolerates cold easily, but reacts poorly to late frosts. Does not like open sunny areas and gets burned from direct sunlight.
Grandiflora
A large evergreen tree with dark, dense foliage sticking out in different directions. The leaves are up to 25 cm long and about 12 cm wide. Grandiflora flowers are arranged singly at the ends of the shoots, with a diameter of 25 cm. One flower has from 6 to 12 petals, the width of which reaches 5 cm. The white flowers in the middle are violet-purple with a yellow stamen . They have a bright pleasant aroma.
Flowering begins in May and continues until October, and sometimes until November.The “cones” with red seeds have a decorative appearance.
Stellata
One of the earliest flowering varieties. The tree is deciduous, growing no higher than 3-4 m. Blooms profusely, with large pure white flowers 8-10 cm in diameter. The petals are ribbon-shaped, long, up to 1 cm wide. They have a pleasant aroma. The flowering period occurs in April or May.
The foliage is elliptical or inversely elliptical in shape, arranged alternately. Leaf size is 5-6 cm. The plant is slow growing. The annual growth of Stellata is 15 cm.
Betty
Deciduous shrub up to 4 m high, with a rounded crown. Flowering occurs before foliage appears from April to early July. The flowers are large, up to 20 cm in diameter, white-pink inside and purple-red outside. The petals are narrow, slightly curled.
The Betty variety prefers sunny or semi-shaded areas, protected from the wind. With proper care, it tolerates cold well.
Virginskaya
Semi-evergreen deciduous tree reaching 20 m in height. The foliage is glossy green above, grayish-blue or whitish below, silky-velvety. Flowering is not abundant, but long lasting. The flowers are milky white in color with a light, pleasant aroma. Many connoisseurs consider its scent to be the best among magnolias.
Virginia magnolia prefers swampy environments, which is unusual for magnolias. It can grow in both sun and shade, but still develops best in light partial shade. The plant is frost-resistant and can withstand frosts down to -25 °C. Can withstand short-term night frosts down to -30 °C.
Jenny
The maximum height of this variety is 3 m. The flowers are red-ruby in color, have the shape of a tulip, which gradually opens, forming a round shape. Flowering occurs in April-May and lasts about a month.Towards the end of summer, Magnolia Jenny blooms again with the same abundance of flowers as the first time.
This variety develops best in sunny, wind-protected areas. Tolerates winter well.
Three-petalled
Three-petalled or umbrella magnolia is distinguished by its large leaves. Its leaves reach 60 cm in length, they have an obovate, elongated shape, collected at the tips of the shoots to form “umbrellas”.
The flowers are creamy-white, up to 25 cm in diameter, with a strong unpleasant odor that attracts beetles, which pollinate the plant. The variety blooms from mid-May to early June, on average this period is 20 days. Three-petalled magnolia is winter-hardy, but still needs shelter for the winter.
large-leaved
The Large Leaf Magnolia variety is native to the southwestern regions of North America. This is a tree reaching 18 m in height. The crown is tent-shaped with heavy foliage up to 80 cm long with wavy edges. Two-year-old branches are reddish-brown and then turn gray.
The flowers of this variety are also large, up to 30 cm in diameter. At first they are milky white in color, and over time they change shade to ivory color. The flowers have characteristic purple spots. The fruit is purple-pink, up to 8 cm in size.
Pointed
The young tree has a slender, wide-pyramidal, rounded crown. The height of the plant reaches 30 m, the width of the crown is up to 18 m. In old age, the thickness of the trunk is 120 cm in diameter. The flowers of this magnolia are small, only 5-7 cm. They are bell-shaped, the color is yellowish-green with a bluish bloom.
This species is also called cucumber, and all because of its fruits, which when unripe are green in color and shaped like cucumbers. Their size is 5-7 cm.
Esha
Ash's magnolia is considered a rare species and grows in America in the state of Florida. Grows up to 8 m. It is a deciduous tree with large leaves. On top they have a glossy green or silver-gray surface. Blooms after foliage appears. The flowers are cream-colored and have a citrus aroma. Their diameter is 20-30 cm. The variety begins to bloom in the 4th-5th year.
It grows best in sunny areas or partial shade. Prefers drained acid-neutral soil. Does not tolerate stagnant water.
Variety selection criteria
The success of growing magnolias largely depends on how well the variety is selected. When choosing a species, you need to pay attention not only to the beauty of its flowers, but also to other criteria. Should be considered:
- height and width of the plant crown;
- level of frost resistance;
- the quality of the soil where the plant will be planted;
- conditions for caring for a specific variety.
Magnolia in landscape design
In landscape design, beautifully flowering trees always occupy a dominant place, including magnolias. Low-growing bush or tree-like magnolias, such as Rosea, Siebold or Star varieties, look great in various compositions.
Magnolia looks advantageous against the backdrop of city buildings and in rural areas, in park areas and flower beds. They combine perfectly with other trees and shrubs, creating landscapes that are impossible to pass by without paying attention to them.
