Magnolia 'Vulcan'

My tree has grown from a whip into a handsome tree, but has never flowered, hence my neutral review. It appears healthy and I was very en...Read Morecourage by another gardner’s remarks that it took eight years before they saw their first bloom. It has been around that time now for us, so I am hoping for this year or next.

Incidentally, I have a black tulip variety that I bought more mature, ball in burlap from a reputable nursury (Sylvan. Can’t say enough about them) and it still took a few years for a bloom. This one is in a less-protected site than Vulcan. A few years, I think the buds got zapped by frost. Last year was the first time (it’s five now) it’s buds opened and this year, it’s A) earlier and B) gangbusters. I think they like to be in situ and take their time. Worth it.

A beautifully shaped tree which took at least eight years before I saw it's first bloom. The bloom color has been quite variable for me ...Read Moreover the past 27 years with only twice it having a dark, rich, almost red coloration. It tends to bloom a bit early in the US Southeast; therefore, susceptible to frost damage some years.

Got a large one of these from a nursery. Planted it next to a star magnolia in my yard that's been there a long time.

It ...Read Moregrew slowly the first few years and this year it just shriveled up and I thought it was completely dead.

Then I noticed the other day it still has some runners coming up out of the ground.

So I am going to keep trying.

I am neutral at this point because the soil in that part of my yard is absolutely terrible. That star magnolia is a great tree, but for all I know they may have had to go through a lot to get that tree established in that bad soil.

If the runners die off I will probably try buying another Vulcan but try to get a smaller cheaper one. Maybe it will get established easier if it can grow its first years in the actual soil before it hits that rock stuff 8 or so inches down.

At any rate that one magnolia is growing successfully in that area, and I know of no reason a Vulcan shouldn't be equally capable of doing so.

So I'm gonna keep trying.

i planted one of these in san leandro several years ago and it is now quite big and beautiful. the flower colour is just amazing. mine h...Read Moreas the deepest magenta red flowers and as it ages, there are more and more of them. it really did not take it long to grow from about 6' to over 10', maybe 5 years? that's not too bad. it does seem to have a more columnar habit than most magnolias, though...maybe it's just my tree that has it. i've never seen another one anywhere to compare.

i now live in the sierra foothills and got one from the dreaded and sometimes hated wayside gardens recently. luckily, it is healthy with huge roots coming out of the pot. i've had some bad luck with them, going from great experiences beginning in the '90s to horrible experiences (when park seed took them over) and now back to pretty good experiences.

anyway, this tree is just so beautiful and if you can grow one, definitely try to find it. i rarely see them in catalogues or at nurseries, either in the SF bay area or up here in the sierras, but if you do find one, buy it at any cost. you will not be disappointed one bit.