Magnolia

  • Black Tulip has deep ruby red flowers, the darkest of any Magnolia variety.

    • Flower colour: Crimson
    • Flowering month: April

  • One of the best yellow-flowered Magnolias, Daphne flowers over a long period.

    • Flower colour: Yellow
    • Flowering month: April

  • A good choice for your first magnolia. Large fragrant pink flowers and a neat upright habit.

    • Flower colour: Pink
    • Flowering month: April

  • Elizabeth is a small late-flowering Magnolia which displays yellow spring flowers on bare branches.

    • Flower colour: Yellow
    • Flowering month: April
  • Best seller

    The flowers of this Magnolia are a soft sheen of pure white, with a dark pink base.

    • Flower colour: White
    • Flowering month: April

  • Felix Jury is notable for its huge crimson purple flowers.

    • Flower colour: Pink - dark
    • Flowering month: April

  • Genie is a compact Magnolia, featuring large dark crimson flowers, with a subtle fragrance.

    • Flower colour: Crimson
    • Flowering month: May
  • Best seller

    The flowers of Magnolia Joli Pompom are the purest sheen of icing sugar white.

    • Flower colour: White
    • Flowering month: April

  • Magnolia Shirazz features large crimson tulip-shaped flowers.

    • Flower colour: Pink - dark
    • Flowering month: March

  • Star Wars features very long-lasting dusky-pink flowers and an upright habit.

    • Flower colour: Pink - dark
    • Flowering month: April

  • A compact Magnolia with crimson / white scented flowers.

    • Flower colour: Pink - dark
    • Flowering month: April
    • Flowering season: Mid-season

  • A medium-sized late-flowering Magnolia, one of the best yellow-flowered forms for the smaller garden.

    • Flower colour: Yellow
    • Flowering month: May

How to choose Magnolia

Magnolias are an ancient genus of flowering trees, grown primarily for their attractive flowers. Compared to other flowering ornamental trees, Magnolias seem to have an unsually wide colour palette, with white, pink, yellow, purple, and red varieties available.

Many species are decidous but there are also semi-evergreen and full evergreen varieties.

Magnolias do best in well-drained soils and sheltered conditions, but they need plenty of water over the summer (and use a mulch to help retain moisture). They are tolerant of clay and some varieties will also tolerate chalk, but they generally prefer neutral or slightly acidic conditions. Many are also tolerant of pollution. Magnolias do not like to be transplanted, so plant the tree directly in its final position. They have quite shallow roots, so avoid planting anything else nearby.

Magnolias are mostly very cold-hardy, but paradoxically frost can easily spoil the appearance of the blossom, hence the recommendation to plant in a sheltered position.

You will sometimes see particular Magnolia varieties described as "precocious". In the case of Magnolias this term has a specific meaning - the flowers are borne in advance of the leaves. This is considered a desirable quality because the effect of the flowers is, arguably, heightened when displayed against bare branches.