Magnolia Madness
We bet you didn’t know there were so many options for the Magnolia… and we are just mad for magnolias! Most people think of that good ole’ southern classic Magnolia with deep green leaves and big white blossoms. However, that is just one of the many varieties available! There are a multitude of sizes and colors to choose from. All you need to decide is which one of these beauties will look best in your yard!
Here’s a few of our favorites:
- Royal Star ~ An early bloomer, this deciduous tree possesses large, fragrant, double white flowers. The blooms will appear before the foliage. It is an open-branched, multi-trunked small tree. A moderate grower, with year round interest and prefers full sun. You’ll love these delicate, bright white flowers that dance in the breeze!
- Black Tulip ~ With rich, deep burgundy 6 inch flowers, these spectacular blooms appear with a unique tulip shape we just adore! Blooming before the leaves appear, this beauty is a beacon for spring. An excellent small specimen tree or may be topped to form a hedge. It is also perfect planted in a container, as it is a moderate grower and prefers full sun.
- Ann Magnolia ~ This deciduous tree flowers later than the Royal Star Magnolia and, thus, avoids frost damage to the flower buds. It has exquisite, 3 to 4 inch blooms in a reddish-purple outside and white inside. Like the Royal Star, these blooms will appear before the foliage buds out. An excellent choice if you’re looking for a spectacular accent tree that is a slow grower and prefers full sun.
- Little Gem ~This is a more ‘traditional-looking’ variety. It’s a slow-growing Southern Magnolia with smaller dark green foliage and very compact narrow form. The leaves of this small evergreen tree are rusty-brown on the undersides. It is useful in small gardens and as landscape plantings with a pyramidal shape. It too prefers full sun.
- Yellow Bird ~ This gorgeous magnolia boosts bright canary yellow 3 1/2 inch flowers. The blooms will appear more dependably since they appear with the foliage late in the spring, after the danger of frosts. Plant this deciduous tree as an accent or specimen. Loves full sun and is a vigorous grower with a pyramidal shape.
