Part of the eight 'Little Girl' series of magnolias released from by the U.S. National Arboretum. Can be usually found in local nurserie...Read Mores. It is a later blooming magnolia than the common M. soulangeana examples. It tends to grow a bit more compactly, reaching heights up to 12' and having fragrant fuchsia blooms which can extend its blooming period well into summer in some area.
This small tree took EFFORT here in Central Texas ! I purchased it as a one gallon sapling , Babied and coddled it through four broiling...Read More summers . When I say baby I mean baby , Every afternoon irrigating it around the base and hosing down the foliage . purchasing premium fertilizer from the san antonio botanical garden , and mulching it heavily in summer to keep adequate moisture . Finally after four years it is now over 10 feet tall (I think it is done growing) and I have the ONLY susan magnolia in town it survived this 2011 Texas drought with minimal leaf burn and still flushed new leaves every couple weeks . I have to say this tree is WORTH the effort to grow here in Central Texas ! You will have to give it the TLC of a young child but in spring it is the most beautiful front yard tree/shrub on the entire block ! I am so glad the time and effort have rewarded me with such a gem of a tree. I probably also have the only Susan Magnolia with agaves and yuccas planted around the base it simply looks stunning to have a temperate tree under planted with desert scrub .
Basking Ridge, NJ (Zone 7a) | April 2009 | positive
My Photo shows “Magnolia quinquepeta 'nigra’ x stellata 'Rosea Jane'”.
I believe" quinquepeta" and "liliflora" is the same ...Read Moreanimal, but I could be wrong.
I bought this plant after feeling very sorry for it in a nursery; it was a dry, blast...Read Moreed stick with a sale sticker, and planted it out with no expectations of it even surviving.
The first year it stayed a stick and sulked, the second it doubled in height to about 2 m and exploded in a profusion of lovely upright stellata-style blooms.
Requires little to no care here, getting half day shade amongst other, taller evergreen + deciduous trees.
The only drawback I would ascribe to it is the fact that it, like the other smaller stellatas, looks bedraggled and not very exciting with its spindly little branches etc for half the year, and is not as architectural as the other magnolia species in winter. But a very worthwhile plant that would look delightful massed under taller trees.
I grow my magnolias in rubbishy heavy yellow volcanic clay on a seaside hill, and have found that none of the various cultivars and species have objected to this treatment. They get good drainage and wind shelter from my other plantings but the soil is pretty poor, with only a thin top layer of leaf mold, so dont be discouraged if you dont have the rich loam so often prescribed.
See some of our plants and gardenalia at The Blackthorn Orphans.com
Susan is one of the trees in the series of "The Girl Magnolias"
Botanical Name: Magnolia (liliflora 'Nigra' x stellata 'Rosea') ...Read More
'Ann' (NA 28344; PI 326570)
'Betty' (NA 28348; PI 326574)
'Judy' (NA 28345; PI 326571)
'Randy' (NA 28346; PI 326572)
'Ricki' (NA 28347; PI 326573)
'Susan' (NA 28350; PI 326575)
Magnolia (liliflora 'Reflorescens' x stellata 'Waterlily')
'Jane' (NA 28349; PI 326576)
Magnolia (liliflora 'Reflorescens' x stellata 'Rosea')
'Pinkie' (NA 28351; PI 326577)
Family: Magnoliaceae
Hardiness: U.S.D.A. Zones 3 - 8
Development: ''The Girl Magnolias'' are selections resulting from controlled pollinations of Magnolia liliflora 'Nigra' by M. stellata 'Rosea'; M. liliflora 'Reflorescens' by M. stellata 'Rosea'; and M. liliflora 'Reflorescens' by M. stellata 'Waterlily'. The crosses were made at the U.S. National Arboretum in 1955 and 1956 by William F. Kosar and Dr. Francis de Vos. All are F1 hybrids and reported to be sterile triploid selections. These plants were selected and named by William F. Kosar. Released 1968.
Significance: These magnolia selections bloom two to four weeks later than M. stellata and M. x soulangiana, reducing the possibility of late spring frost damage. Plants produce flowers with a variety of tepal colors from reddish-purple to pink on white. The unexpected sporadic summer bloom adds landscape interest.
Culture: Plants grow best in full sun to light shade; prefer loam soil with adequate moisture; tolerate poorly drained, heavy clay soils or dry areas.
Bought as a plug plant circa 1999 from Mair and Thompson, UK. Quick to grow, it was placed in present position in 2001, and has largish ...Read Moredark green, slightly wavy leaves, which clothe the plant well. Quite compact, flowers well from an early age. On forming a full bud before opening the flowers are a deep purple, opening to a bright cerise purple. Easy, needs no pruning. zone 8a UK
Part of the eight 'Little Girl' series of magnolias released from by the U.S. National Arboretum. Can be usually found in local nurserie...Read More
Neither very fragrant nor very pleasantly fragrant
This small tree took EFFORT here in Central Texas ! I purchased it as a one gallon sapling , Babied and coddled it through four broiling...Read More
My Photo shows “Magnolia quinquepeta 'nigra’ x stellata 'Rosea Jane'”.
I believe" quinquepeta" and "liliflora" is the same ...Read More
Zone 9b; Coastal Otago, New Zealand.
I bought this plant after feeling very sorry for it in a nursery; it was a dry, blast...Read More
Susan is one of the trees in the series of "The Girl Magnolias"
Botanical Name: Magnolia (liliflora 'Nigra' x stellata 'Rosea') ...Read More
Bought as a plug plant circa 1999 from Mair and Thompson, UK. Quick to grow, it was placed in present position in 2001, and has largish ...Read More