Magnolias

In 2003 I planted two magnolias in the front of my house as part of my front foundation planting renovation. Since then, they’re blooms have provided many, many smiles.

Worldwide, there are about 80 different types of magnolias, although only 3 to 4 do well in central Illinois. Magnolias can grow as large trees or in shrub form. They are usually grown for their spectacular spring flowers. Most have showy, fragrant flowers that are white, pink, purple, green, or yellow. The flowers are followed by showy red or pink fruits displaying red, orange, or pink seeds, each of which hangs from the fruit by a thread-like strand.

The magnolias that grow best here are the Saucer, Star, and Cucumber. As with all plants, each of these has been manipulated by the nursery trade into great cultivars with specific characteristics.

The Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) is one of the most popular magnolias in the landscape. It is known for its showy pinkish purple saucer-like flowers. The regular Saucer Magnolia grows 20 to 30 feet tall by 20 to 30 feet wide in a rounded to broad-rounded form. It is often low branching and multi-stemmed. There are many cultivars of this hybrid species.

One of my magnolias is a yellow form of the Cucumbertree
Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata) called 'Butterflies'. The Butterfly Magnolia has probably the deepest darkest yellow of the yellow magnolias. The 5" across deep yellow flowers are supposed to appear at a much earlier age than other yellow selections - as young as three years old rather than 6-7 years for the ‘Elizabeth’ & ‘Yellow Lantern’. However, my yellow magnolia took 7 years to bloom. The Butterfly Magnolia is only 20’ tall and is more upright in habit, compared to 50 to 80 foot rounded form of the original Cucumbertree.

My white magnolia is a Royal Star (Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star'). The Royal Star is a beautiful, white-flowered selection with four to five-inch flowers that have 25-30 strap-like tepals. This is a very common star magnolia in the trade. It grows 15-20' high in a rounded to slightly broad-rounded form.

All the magnolias listed here are hardy in central Illinois. All prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They are not always tolerant of extreme drought or wetness. The main problem all magnolias encounter here is the flower’s cold sensitivity. Flowers that look stunning during the day can become a mass of limp brown petals with just one cold evening. Still the often short-lived flowers are well worth a quick glimpse of their beauty.