Southern Magnolia 'Bracken's Brown Beauty'

I planted this plant in zone 6a 3 years ago. It is somewhat sheltered but not quite as much as I'd like. It had a lot of leaf loss the ...Read Morefirst year but came back. The second year it had a few flowers and less leaf loss but it still had some. This last winter was one of the worst and coldest we've had in Rochester, NY and it came back great. It has lots of flower buds and is really taking off this year.

There is a lovely specimen growing in the Inniswood Gardens of Columbus Ohio. I am also emboldened to try it in a spot somewhat protec...Read Moreted from Nor'easters because according to Jim Gardiner in Magnolias, a gardener's guide, 'Brackens Brown Beauty' is hardy to -20 degrees F. It was discovered by Ray Bracken in his nursery in Easley, south Carolina in 1978 and registered in 1987. Plant patent #5520.

Dorothy Calloway , 1994, writes in her magnolia book that it transplants well.

I am in Wilmington, Delaware (Zone 7a), within the normal cultivated range of Magnolia grandiflora. Even so, I was looking for a hardier...Read More cultivar to plant in the cold exposed NW corner of my backyard. Brackens Brown Beauty has done great in my "cold corner" and has never shown any winter damage. It just gets bigger and more beautiful each year.

I did everything wrong for planting M. grandiflora in my region... small 2 gallon size, planted in the ground during late September, site...Read Mored in a completely exposed location that receives direct winter morning sun. The trees were completely defoliated and had ~33% dieback that winter. They recovered and bloomed the next spring and now (in the ground 4 years) only experience slight leaf burn with minimal leaf loss and abundant flowering and seed set each year.

Definately hardy to at least zone 5b/6a, Lawrence, KS. This is one of only 3 broadleaf evergreen trees we can reliably grow. This is a ...Read Morereal attention getter, especially in the winter. As a landscape company owner, we have installed about 50 lange specimens in our landscapes over the last 4 years. We have yet to replace even one. Two years ago, we experimented with a couple trees planted in open windswept prairie conditions. Even these have survived well with minor leaf burn. 15 gal trees establish best and are well worth the money considering their slow growth rate. Adequare water is needed during establishment which can take a couple years. Anti-transpirant spray is advised the first year, especially in the fall before winter. In contrast to most other plants, these are late to leaf out and can look tattered even into mid-spring.

This is definately a winner. Early winter when all the trees are bald its shiney leaves make it stand out. It has partial shade in winter...Read More and full sun in summer. I will be getting more as soon as lowes gets them in. My neighbor is from down south, she in her 50's. She loved it and made me buy her one too lol.

Update I sold the house in Chicago now I live in Plainfield Ill. 45 miles SW of Chicago, I just bought a magnolia 2 years ago same Brackens brown beauty and It was 6ft now its 12' Tall !! I posted pics

I planted Branken's Brown Beauty a year ago and though we didn't have a hard winter, there was little defoliation on the tree and I have ...Read Moretwice as many buds this year/ I put down a balance of 12 12 12 and it is doing beautiful. I live in northern Ohio1

Here in Peoria, IL there is a Brackens Brown Beauty growing in a parkway between the sidewalk and the street of all places, 12-14' tall. ...Read More (January-February 2014 Update* One low down to -15 and maybe 7 other lows between -10 and 0 have caused this tree to bronze and burn in the full sunlight. The tree completely defoliated and died back on the 3 main branches by 1.5'-2'. Tree is recovering and leafing out now that its June, a couple flowers survived as well. Winter protection of a northern or eastern exposure by a tall building is recommended in zone 5.)

This tree grows well in Royse City Texas. I bought and planted it in early July of 05 and it has already bloomed!

A beautiful and easy to grow evergreen tree. The 6 to 8 inch pure white flowers fill the air with the fragrance of lemon. Does well in ...Read Morethe central Florida landscape.

I live just outside the zone range (se Wisconsin-5b) of this plant. I have two in seperate unprotected areas which I planted last spring...Read More (2004). With a minimum low of -14F last winter both plants totally defoliated. However, both have survived and are budding. Ironically, the more exposed one has more buds and will sprout leaves first. I was blessed by two large blooms last summer and can't wait until I see them again!

Grows very well in Seattle!

I have had good luck growing Brackens Brown Beauty
in a protected east exposure in Illinois. I live 40 miles west of Chicago. It ...Read Morecame through the winter and had 3 blooms on it last summer 2003. It has come through this winter 2004 in even better shape. Minimal leaf burn after -12 degree low.

In spite of a brutal winter in Connecticut in 2002 - 2003, this tree not only survived, but produced blooms the following late spring and...Read More it was only two years old when planted in 08/02.

Leaves are rust-colored on the undersides; flowers have a lemon scent