Magnolias are beautiful, widely grown ornamental trees and shrubs, which flower spectacularly in spring or early summer. Decidious varieties display their tulip or star-shaped flowers on bare branches for maximum impact, while evergreen types have large blooms in late summer which stand out well among the dark, glossy foliage. Many magnolia flowers are fragrant. The evergreen types, in particular, often have a rich lemon-vanilla scent. Flower colours range from pure white through pink to deep magenta and even yellow.
Magnolias are one of the most primitive plants in evolutionary history, and fossil records show that magnolias once existed in Europe, North America and Asia over 100 million years ago. They are thought to have evolved to encourage pollination by beetles because they appeared before bees evolved. Beetle pollinated flowers are characterised by their large size, white or pink colour, lack of nectar and abundance of pollen. Beetles feed on pollen and most magnolias do not have nectar although they do have scent. The first magnolia to come to Britain was an American species, M. virginiana, acquired by Henry Compton, the Bishop of London, in 1687.
There are many Magnolias to choose from. Some need acidic conditions, but many are happy in any fertile, moist, well-drained soil and thrive in a warm spot, sheltered from strong winds, with plenty of sun. Ensure it’s not in a low-lying frost pocket, because frost can damage the flowers, and make sure the soil does not dry out in summer by mulching in spring with manure, composted pine bark or leaf mould.
A magnolia is a long-term investment – they are slow growing and can take 10-20 years to reach their ultimate size. Larger species need plenty of space, and are ideal for growing as stand-alone trees, but smaller ones such as Magnolia stellata look good in a border or can even be grown in containers. Some evergreen magnolias, such as M. grandiflora, flower and grow particularly well if trained against a warm, sunny wall.
If you have a small garden, Gardner’s World recommends:
Magnolia stellata It’s small enough to be grown in a container, in sun or shade. A deciduous shrub with star-shaped blooms, with a very light fragrance, that appear before the leaves, in early spring. There are several varieties to choose from, including the white-flowered Magnolia stellata 'Centennial' and the pale pink Magnolia stellata 'Jane Platt'. Height x spread: 3m x 3m
Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Alexandrina’ has goblet-shaped, pink flowers that are darker at the base than at the tips of the petals. It remains a manageable shrub size for many years. H x S: 6m x 6m
For a medium-sized garden:
Magnolia 'Apollo’ has huge, dark pink flowers that fade once open to pale pink and white. It forms an open, spreading, often multi-stemmed small tree. H x S: 5m x 5m
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ bears pale pink, goblet-shaped flowers that become more star-shaped as they open. It remains a manageable size for many years. H x S: 8m x 6m
Magnolias for large gardens:
Magnolia sieboldii or the Chinese magnolia is a very hardy, deciduous species. The scented flowers are cup-shaped and large with deep maroon centres. They have a long flowering season from May to September and the foliage is attractive and glossy. A real statement tree. H x S: 6m x 8m
Magnolia × brooklynensis ‘Woodsman’ is an unusual magnolia, with multicoloured spring flowers in pink, white and green. H x S: 10m x 6m
If you have alkaline or chalky soil, the best Magnolias to consider are:
Magnolia grandiflora - a large evergreen that produces large white, lemon-scented flowers in August and September. An impressive, stately plant, it can be grown against a sunny wall, where it will appreciate the heat. It tolerates more alkaline and chalky soils. It can eventually grow very large. H x S: 15m x 15m.
Magnolia ‘Goldfinch’ has unusual yellow flowers in late spring. H x S: 10m x 10m.
So, it’s June, and Magnolia is the plant of the month. Why? Well,
if you have a decidious, spring-flowering Magnolia, the flowers should be long gone by now, and you can prune it lightly once the plant is in full leaf. If you prune it in winter, when the tree is dormant, dieback can occur, and pruning in late winter or spring can result in bleeding. Therefore, midsummer pruning is recommended.
Magnolias don't respond well to hard pruning and may stop flowering afterwards, but you should remove any dead, damaged or diseased wood to keep your trees healthy. To maintain an open, balanced crown, and renovate an overgrown or misshapen tree, thin out stems to the trunk or to a side shoot. Stage the pruning over several years to avoid stressing the tree. Trees may be slow to recover, and if they send up water shoots (vigorous vertical shoots) or stems die back after heavy pruning, remove these too. Always cut back to a natural fork, to avoid leaving unsightly stubs.
Evergreen Magnolias need very little pruning, but it should also be done after they have flowered.
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