Magnolia flowers (Magnolia spp.) come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors depending on variety. The magnolia family includes evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees bearing blossoms in colors of pink, white, red, purple and yellow. The leaf shapes and sizes vary as well. Proper care can help ensure the trees bloom generously.
Many varieties of magnolias have large blooms that range from 8 to 12 inches across. Southern magnolia (M. grandiflora) bears large, white, fragrant, cup-shaped flowers that are about 8 to 10 inches across. This handsome tree is hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 6 and blooms throughout summer and fall. Fraser magnolia (M. fraseri) is a medium-sized tree with white, fragrant flowers up to 10 inches across and hardy to USDA zone 5. M. sargentiana robusta bears fragrant mauve flowers up to 12 inches across and blooms mid- to late-spring before leaves open and is hardy to USDA zone 7.
Some varieties of magnolias bear medium-sized blooms that range from 4 to 7 inches across. Kobus magnolia (M. kobus), hardy to USDA zone 5, blooms in early spring before leaves open and bears slightly fragrant, white, 4-inch-wide blooms. Saucer magnolia (M. x soulangeana) is a hybrid that bears pink to purplish flowers up to 6 inches across. It blooms from late winter though spring and is hardy to USDA zone 4. Yulan Magnolia (M. denudata) is a deciduous tree hardy to USDA zone 5 and bears tulip-shaped flowers up to 7 inches across in summer.
Magnolia varieties also have small blooms that only spread up to 3 inches across. Shinyleaf magnolia (M. nititda) is an evergreen shrub hardy to USDA zone 8 that bears fragrant flowers up to 3 inches across and blooms in spring. The cucumber tree (M. acuminata) makes an excellent shade or lawn tree and bears greenish-yellow flowers up to 3 inches across in late spring through summer; this magnolia is hardy to USDA zone 6.
What Magnolias Need
Magnolias need proper care to thrive and bloom. The plants have fleshy, shallow root systems that require a location where the roots won't be damaged. Magnolias thrive in well-drained soil that is slightly acidic with deep irrigation, but waterlogged soil can kill the trees and shrubs. Deciduous magnolias need annual pruning after blooming, while evergreen varieties are pruned before new growth appears in spring. Prune magnolia trees to shape, cut back damaged limbs and remove lower branches as the tree grows.
- The New Sunset Western Garden Book; Kathleen Norris Brenzel, Editor
- Good Housekeeping Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening; Elvin McDonald, Editor
- The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening; T.H. Everret, Editor
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