Magnolia

These evergreen and deciduous (leaf-losing) trees and shrubs have beautiful, large flowers. Some kinds bloom very early in the spring before the leaves, some bloom later in the spring and still others during the summer and early fall. Some kinds produce pretty fruits, which are usually shaped like a cone and brightly colored. When the seeds are ripe, they are expelled from the fruit, but are held for a few days by short silky strands before falling to the ground. The hardy kinds grow wild in the Himalayas, Japan, China and North America. M. acuminata, the Cucumber Tree, is a native of North America. It can grow up to 100 feet high, with a shapely head of branches clothed with oblong leaves. The inconspicuous flowers are greenish-yellow and are followed by reddish fruits. M. Campbelli is a beautiful tree suited for the warmer parts of the U.S. only. It leaves are large and oval and it produces large, cup-shaped, succulent flowers, each growing from 4 to 5 inches long and 3 or more inches wide. The color of the outside may be deep rose to crimson. M. Soulangeana is the most popular of the hybrid Magnolias. It forms a large bush or small tree, which produces, in the spring, a ton of large, white flowers that are stained with purple. M. grandiflora, the Bull Bay, is from the southeastern U.S. It has large, leathery leaves and produces fragrant, creamy-white flowers, which are 8 to 10 inches across, throughout the summer. It can grow up to 90 feet high. M. Sieboldii is a leaf-losing bush or small tree that will produce flowers when it's still pretty young. The white flowers are about 3 inches across and are centered with a mass of crimson stamens. M. virginiana, the Sweet Bay, is a hardy, deciduous tree. It can grow up to 60 feet high in the South, but stays a small bush, only growing 1 to 2 feet high, further north. Its fragrant, light-colored leaves are fuzzy underneath. Once in a while, the leaves are used fresh for flavoring, but the taste isn't at all like that of true European bay (see, Laurus nobilis). Underneath the leaves appear very fragrant, white flowers that grow up to 3 inches across.

Pot Cultivation

With one or two exceptions, Magnolias won't grow well in lime soil, although M. acuminata will grow where a good amount of soil covers limestone. They should have deep, well-drained loam and will benefit from a bit of peat or compost placed around the roots at planting time, in the spring or fall. They will also do well in peaty soil that isn't too compact and in disintegrated granite. Once they've been planted, they shouldn't be disturbed, as this will most likely result in permanent injury. For this reason, they should be placed far enough apart to allow plenty of room to grow to their full size. Late spring is the best time to plant, just as the leaf buds begin to open. When necessary, pruning should be completed during the summer, but should really only be done to young plants. Removing branches from small trees will be tolerated, but removing large branches from established trees isn't safe. Large wounds won't heal well on old trees. Decide when the tree is small how you want it to look and begin shaping and training toward that. Wounds made in pruning should be covered with tree-wound paint. When harvesting leaves of the Sweet Bay, M. virginiana, they should be snipped when the plant is 12 to 18 inches high. Don't take more than a third of the leaves. Dried leaves of Sweet Bay retain little of their fragrance.

Propagation

Rare kinds of Magnolias should be propagated by grafting in the winter or spring in a greenhouse. M. acuminata or M. tripetala should be used as understocks. Otherwise, seeds, cuttings and layers may be used to increase your plants. Seeds should be sown when they are as fresh as possible. Sow them in light compost consisting of two parts peat, one part loam and one part sand. The pots or pans may be placed in a cold frame or greenhouse and kept shaded. The seeds may take as long as 18 months to germinate, so give them a good chance before discarding. Many of the deciduous kinds, especially those of slender growth, can be increased in July by making cuttings from 3- to 4-inch shoots. The shoots should have a small heel of the older wood still attached and they are inserted in a bed of sand in a propagating case in a greenhouse. As soon as they've formed roots, they should be potted individually in containers filled with equal parts of fibrous loam, leaf mold, peat and sand. The following spring they can be planted out. Another method is to layer the lower branches into the soil mixture described above, which is placed under the tree or bush. The branches should be slit and pegged down in the spring. They shouldn't be bothered for two years. Magnolias may also be increased by air layering.