I had my Magnolia shoes on today...

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

...and came away with some halfway decent shots. I can't believe I go away for a couple days to indulge in some innocent oenophilia, and the Magnolia trees around Louisville go from tight bud to dropping petals/tepals already! Hope I have time to get out tomorrow, and document what is/has been the best display in years.

I think it would be magnificent if others posted their illustrative experiences with this genus on this thread.

The following are all Magnolia 'Spectrum', a US National Arboretum introduction and sister seedling to 'Galaxy'.

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

And now for your closeup, Ms. ...

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Now turn...

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Show a little, shall we say, ...

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Give me that reserved look...

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Oh, darling, come here...let me make it all better.

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Seale, AL(Zone 8b)

ROFL.... Very very funny. I love the comentary with the pics. That really cute. : )

That really a beautiful color bloom. Will something like that make it down here do you think? All we have round here is M. x soulangeana and M. stellata.

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Nice shots VV. Mags are magnificent in all their glory. One of the things I envy about the South, though we can grow some nice ones up here as well. Can I offer to read your palm??

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Here is the US National Arboretum website for 'Galaxy', sister to 'Spectrum'.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/galaxy.html

'Spectrum' flowers are a bit bigger and darker in color, and the plant is somewhat wider (though if I get pictures of the 'Galaxy' planted at the same time as this 'Spectrum', I doubt you'll think they are much different in form).

Thanks, SL and VG. Both of these plants are supposed to go zone 5-9. Both of you ought to give one or both of these a try.

Thornton, IL

My saucer magnolias are still tight little buds today, I could take a pic for you when it blooms?

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Wish I had the room! Can you recommend a good small one, other than sieboldii (died on me for some no good reason, whatever it was) or virginiana (I have, but only doing so-so - no blooms. Think the deer might be at fault.)??

Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

VictoryGardener,

You might consider some of the M. stellata types. They bloom too early and the flowers are frost bit three years out of five, but the two good years are amazing. The "Little Girl" series blooms just a hair later. These are all National Arboretum hybrids and cultivars are "Anne," "Ricki," "Susan," some others, and "Jane." I have "Jane," and she is the big sister, being a slightly different cross and, eventually, a good deal bigger than the others. "Anne" is easily the most available, and from what I understand, probably the best. Here's a shot of "Jane."

Scott

Thumbnail by Decumbent
Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

I think this one is "Anne," but I'm not quite certain. Ernie? John?

Scott

Thumbnail by Decumbent
Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

Here is a Magnolia stellata flower.

Scott

Thumbnail by Decumbent
Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

Magnolia stellata plant.

Scott

Thumbnail by Decumbent
Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

And some more Magnolia stellata flowers...just to be indulgent.

Scott

Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

Oops. Forgot to add the photo. Here it is.

Scott

Thumbnail by Decumbent
Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

A close up of Magnolia "Jane."

Scott

Thumbnail by Decumbent
Southern, WI(Zone 5a)

Oh my! Can you tell I have landed in my favorite tree forum? Nothing but tight buds here. Elizabeth, Woodsman, Anne, Jane, Soulangeana, Butterflies, and White Rose, are all waiting for the right moment, which hopefully won't be too soon around here, after temps in the 80's last last 3 days. Absolutely brightened my day Viburnum! Thanks!

Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

One more of Magnolia stellata and I'll stop.

Scott

Edited to say that now that I've seen this larger than a thumbnail, I think it is a Magnolia x loebnerii hybrid. Not a M. Stellata.

This message was edited Mar 27, 2007 6:46 PM

Thumbnail by Decumbent
Southern, WI(Zone 5a)

Decumbent, your shots are gorgeous too!

Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

Magnolia Lover,

Thanks! If I ever get more land, "Woodsman" and "Butterflies" are at the top of my list!

Scott

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Thanks! Looks like I have some girls to look up. How early is early? If you miss three out of five years where you are, Scott, it would probably be worse here.

Southern, WI(Zone 5a)

I hope I've got the room, boy. I just had to have those two. I bought them as little babies and the deer just love them as much as I do. They seem to leave Ann & Elizabeth alone, though I'm not sure why. Maybe they are getting their fill in liliums. I have tried really hard to be a dedicated magnolialover and use deer repellents to defeat them. I am trying Plantskyyd next. It seems you apply it less often, which would be great.
I love magnolia season. And don't forget, magnolialover never thinks there are too many pictures ;0) Bring "em On! I hope to have some to share in the coming weeks.

Cincinnati, OH(Zone 6b)

VictorGardener,

You might be better off than we are here. This interior continental climate means we're in a war-zone between warm weather from the Gulf of Mexico and arctic blasts coming down from Canada. It all means wildly oscillating springs with weeks of warm weather followed by three or four days of bitter cold. Pretty hard on exotic plants from more consistant climes. It's interesting to observe the Asian magnolias burst into bloom during that first good week while the native cucumber magnolia (M. acuminata) keeps its buds tightly shut, knowing full well not to trust this weather in this place. In New York, especially nearer the coast, your springs might be a more steady progression of temperatures and your luck with these magnolias (and other early bloomers like Forsythia) might be better. No matter, they are worth the gamble.

Scott

Ann Arbor, MI(Zone 5b)

Well, I have probably not yet 'come out' on this forum in this department yet, but I am a big fan of the hybrid deciduous magnolias. Yes, they often get spoiled by frosts, yes, they sometimes go by way too fast if we go from winter to summer in a week (it happens...). But few plants can boast the kind of display these plants make. Give me a few hybrid magnolias over a tree peony or 10, any day (don't take it personal or nuthin'). They are a couple of weeks away here, especially that the weather is turning sharply colder tonight (82 here today, going down to a low of 30 tomorrow night. Too bad I don't live in Sanfrancisco...).

I somehow really have loved the yellows, all of them, from the pale primrose of Elizabeth to the more saturated yellow of Butterflies. I was lucky enough to be in woody plant heaven, the Philly area, 3 years ago in early April at the peak of the cherry and magnolia bloom. And they have quite a collection of yellows at the Scott Arboretum. And some incredible specimens around those parts.

So, even though not in bloom here yet, here is a picture I took at Chanticleer (a garden not to be missed...) of a large 'Elizabeth' in full bloom, underplanted with bicolor cream/primrose daffodills. Ooooh la la

Thumbnail by david5311
Ann Arbor, MI(Zone 5b)

Butterflies, in my old garden

Thumbnail by david5311
Seale, AL(Zone 8b)

David... Do you happen to have som epics of that yellow Magnollia? I have nevr seen a yellow oen before and neither have any of the folks down here I have talked too. They told me I was crazy when I told them I saw a pic of a yellow Mag. Is 'Butterfies' listed as Magnolia stellata 'Butterflies' or is the spieces a different name?

Ann Arbor, MI(Zone 5b)

Butterflies is a hybrid created by Phil Savage, from Michigan in fact. It is one of the yellowest of the yellow magnolias. The color yellow was introduced into breeding I think mainly from the native M. acuminata, a native of the SE US. There are even some selections of the wild plants that are quite yellow. I have one M acuminata 'Golden Glow' that is a very appealing primrose and is from a wild collected plant from the Great Smoky Mtns.

There are now many hybrid yellows. When I was at the Scott Arboretum on this same trip above, they have at least a dozen different yellows that were in bloom when I was there. I photographed them all, and if I have time I will try to post the pictures this week. They differ a lot in flower size, the intensity of the yellow, fragrance, plant size and habit, etc.

Though you can find a number of yellows in good nurseries around here, the range of plants available is much greater by mailorder. Fairweather Gardens, a big mailorder magnolia source, probably has at least 15-20 different yellow magnolias they sell.

Minneapolis, MN(Zone 5a)

Thanks to everyone for all of the great photos!

I hate this time of year because it makes me want to go out and buy every magnolia on the market. I love the spring bloom, but after that, the show is over; most magnolias don't have much in the way of fall color, unfortunately.

One magnolia I am thinking of planting is M. salicifolia, the anise magnolia. The MN landscape Arb. has a couple of these trees and they are beautiful. This magnolia has very nice smooth beech-like silver bark.

Does anyone have any experience with M. salicifolia?
Thanks,
Mike

Eau Claire, WI

I planted Butterflies last year and the buds are looking good. Is it a precocious bloomer like Elizabeth? Another yellow magnolia that I've read good things about is Sunsation. Anyone seen it? It was developed by the late August Kehr and is supposedly one of his best. I looked high and low for one last spring, but it was not to be found. Its funny that someone recently mentioned TyTy Nursery, because I tried to buy this plant from them. I'm kind of relieved it didn't pan out.

Southern, WI(Zone 5a)

treelover, I have often had an August rebloom on my Ann Magnolia, so perhaps with that one, the show isn't quite over in the spring. The bloom isn't as prolific as spring, but very, very nice indeed.
Song Sparrow is the place where I have purchased many of my magnolias. The plants are a couple feet tall and the prices aren't too bad either, as far as magnolias go.

Ann Arbor, MI(Zone 5b)

Fairweather is a "dangerous" catalog for a magnolia addict, because they have so many magnolias. I think they are cheaper and better value than Song Sparrow -- the plants they send out are considerably larger. Most magnolias in my experience grow fairly fast. Some like Galaxy shown by VV above are really fast. I saw a 10 year old tree that was about 30' tall (it is a very upright cultivar), and a 4' plant I bought more than doubled in height in 2-3 years.

I have the same experience as Mike -- this season makes me want to run out and get every magnolia I can find. It is true that they mostly don't have great fall color, some turn a fairly decent yellow though may have some brown in it too. But they do mostly have form that is appealing, and most deciduous magnolias do have decent smooth gray, beech-like bark. As trees go, I think they have winter silhouettes that are credible to outstanding. Branch structure tends to be good, and when you add the bark and the attractive furry buds, they are worth the value in garden space for me. I am surprised Mike that M. salicifolia is hardy for you -- I thought that was a more borderline plant even here. But I may be thinking of another species.

Butterflies is precocious, as is Elizabeth -- the flowers open before the leaves. Butterflies blooms about 1 week later here than Elizabeth. The flowers are quite a bit smaller than Elizabeth and a richer color. They are less likely to be frost damaged, due to later bloom and more frost resistant flowers I think. I had an Elizabeth planted in a fairly windy spot, and the flowers also get damaged by strong winds. Still, a mature Elizabeth in full bloom is a sight to behold, as the tree from Chanticleer shows.

Minneapolis, MN(Zone 5a)

I ordered Magnolia 'Sunsation' from Fairweather and the plant was terribly root bound. I made the mistake of trying to tease the root ball open a bit before planting and the tree died. It was an expensive plant and losing the plant was hard to take. There was no soil visible around the outside of the root ball on this plant and I am fairly sure that if I had done nothing, the tree would have died anyway. I am not so anxious now to buy larger sized plants.

I want to plant a magnolia in my yard, but trying to decide which "one" is making me crazy. I think I remember reading that people in the Twin Cities have had problems with 'Butterflies" and its hardiness.

ML,
What can you tell me about the nursery that is located in Oregon, WI? I believe that they carry a good assortment of unusual conifers. I'm sorry, but I don't remember the name of the nursery (and there could be more than one nursery in Oregon since I do not know how large a town/city Oregon is.)
Thanks,
Mike

Southern, WI(Zone 5a)

Treelover,There are two places near me that have nice selections off trees, unusual conifers. The one you may be speaking of is Stonewall Nursery. The other is Enchanted Valley Gardens in Evansville, about 10 miles or so, from Stonewall. Both very, very nice selection of trees and none, that I have seen, have been burlapped into that hard rock cement like mix, that my Jane Magnolia was placed in. Honestly, I couldn't brake it apart, the size of tree was appealing and in the end, the smaller mags have acclimated much better and grown sizable in no time. Butterflies and Elizabeth were purchased at Enchanted Valley.
The UMWRU people were talking about visting Stonewall at one point, but for now, I think it is "on your own", because of 1 day time contraints.

Minneapolis, MN(Zone 5a)

ML,
Yes, Stonewall is the name of the nursery. One of the owners of that nursery attended the Midwest region Conifer society meeting I attended in IL, in 2003. Everyone I spoke with recommended a visit to the nursery. I may have to see about making the trip this summer.
Thanks,
Mike

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Maintaining the Magnolia mania...

Here are several of the US National Arboretum introduction Magnolia x 'Galaxy'.

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

All these photos of 'Galaxy' were taken 27 March 2007.

Again, in swollen bud.

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

How about an open and shut case?

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

In an unguarded moment, after a rough night...

Thumbnail by ViburnumValley

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
BACK TO TOP