With thanks to our resident gardener Stephen Lee
Naked beauty
When plant hunters of the 18th century ventured into the foot hills of the Himalayas, in spring the wonder of seeing Magnolia’s flowering must have been breath taking and full of wonder. Now as it was then these majestic naked flowers on ancient trees flowering in the foot hills of the Himalayas.
Magnolias are a fossil plant; they have existed on this planet more than 90 million years and is one of the earliest flowering plants to evolve. As these plants appeared before pollinating insects such as bees its thought that they were pollinated by beetles. Magnolias can be found from north to south America but are mainly in central Asia (China, Japan, Sikkim, Nepal). There are in excess of 300 species and the hybrids made from these are countless.
Most Magnolias are deciduous plants but like many large groups of plants some are evergreen also. Probably the best known one that’s evergreen here in the UK is Magnolia Grandiflora. Most Magnolias are spring flowering and the leaves appear after the flowers. As Magnolias tend to mostly flower early in the year it makes the flowers prone to frosts and when this unfortunately happens makes the flowers go brown. However, some Like Magnolia Sieboldii flower in the early summer, with beautiful large white pendulous flowers. Also, all the evergreen varieties also flower in the summer months. Magnolia Grandiflora has large dinner plate sized cream flowers that and also scented. If the Magnolia sets seeds, they noticed in the autumn and occur in cone like structures with orange seeds within.
Magnolias like slightly acidic to neutral soils and prefer a sheltered full sun to light shade to grow in. Although most are medium sized shrubs/small trees, all can be pruned to keep their size. Theres a house in Wells who has them pleached, round the front of their garden or they can also be trained up a wall. Most are free standing plants.
Magnolias are generally trouble free. If you need to prune then prune after flowering. Dead twigs and branches can be easily identified when the plant is in full leaf and remove dead at this point. If for some reason you need to cut them down or remove limbs from large Magnolias, then do this after flowering also. As if such a thing takes place, then the limbs or trunk will regrow back.
These days practically any Magnolias are available according on price you wish to pay for them. The most common found in our garden centers and nurseries are Magnolia Grandiflora, Magnolia Liliiflora, Magnolia Soulangeana and Magnolia Stellata. Also, the many hybrids from these.
I am often asked why Magnolia Soulangeana seems to be in everyone’s garden. Well, the easiest answer to this is that it was the first Magnolia that was available in garden centers to the population in the 70’s. Hence now you can go some places where every house in the street has the same Magnolia in their front gardens of the same age.
Below is a gallery of pictures relating to April
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