Deciduous magnolias are among the first flowering trees to break the spell of winter. Thanks to their profuse blooms that brighten dreary days, they are harbingers of spring and garden favorites for centuries. Pairing well with daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers, they’re nothing less than garden essentials. Several of our best-sellers are featured below including three cultivars of Magnolia x loebneri.
Many of the best bloomers are called Loebner hybrids, named for the German plantsman Max Loebner who hybridized the species M. kobus and M. stellata prior to World War 1. General characteristics of the many cultivars of this cross are good heat and drought tolerance and clean foliage that emerges bronze and matures to dark green. Flowers are composed of 2-3” tepals (petals) that range in number from a dozen or so to as many as 30. Tolerant of soils ranging from acid to alkaline, they are dependable, easy-care trees.
If your curiosity about magnolias goes beyond enjoying their blooms during neighborhood walks or in the many public gardens that have them on display, check out the offerings of Magnolia Society International. Their Resources page suggests many books and articles, a Cultivar Checklist, tours and gardens where magnificent magnolias may be seen and enjoyed.
Ballerina Magnolia
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Ballerina’
Large, fragrant white flowers are composed of as many as 30 tepals that are tinged with a pink blush at the base. Blooms of this USDA Zone 4 hardy tree open a little later in the spring than most of the multi-petaled trees, thus escaping many spring frosts. A hybrid of M. loebneri ‘Spring Snow’ and M. stellata, ‘Waterlily’, Ballerian grows to a height and spread of about 20’ x 20’.
Spring Welcome® Magnolia
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Ruth’
Pink buds unfurl to large, white, multi-petaled blooms that are followed by clean, dark green, heat tolerant leaves. This very tough selection is an introduction of North Dakota State University. Years of performance testing in North Dakota proved it to be hardy through USDA Zone 3 and that it booms reliably even after early spring frosts and winter lows of -35° F. Height and spread are approximately 20’ x 20’.
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Royal Star Magnolia
Magnolia stellata ‘Royal Star’
Flowers are larger than those of the species, with nearly twice as many petals on each flower. Together, they smother the bare branches of this handsome large shrub or small tree in early spring. Blooming seven to 10 days later than is typical of M. stellata cultivars, it avoids bloom damage from spring frosts. Originating as a seedling of Magnolia stellata ‘Waterlily’, it was introduced in 1955 by John Vermuelen, a nurseryman of Long Island, New York. Hardy through USDA Zone 5, it reaches a height and spread of about 15’ x 10’.
Rustica Rubra Magnolia
Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Rustica Rubra’
An oldie but a goodie, Rustica Rubra has been a favorite choice of gardeners since its discovery at a nursery in Boskoop, Holland in 1903. Its large bell-shaped flowers are deep rosy red on the outside with a whitish interior. Hardy through USDA Zone 5, it grows to an approximate height and spread of about 20’ x 20’ as it reaches maturity. It is a parent of many fine cultivars.
Genie Magnolia
Magnolia ‘Genie’ PP 20748
Sharply pointed bud tips are nearly blackish-red. They unfurl to reveal rounded, tulip-shaped blooms of deep, rich purple-maroon. Blooms are lightly scented and provide a long lasting show of flowers as they unfurl over a period of several weeks beginning in early spring. Bred by Vance Hooper in New Zealand, it is a small, compact slow-growing plant that reaches a height and spread of about 15’ x 6’.
Edith Bogue Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Edith Bogue’
Holding its foliage all year long, the lustrous dark green leaves of this evergreen magnolia are topped by large, creamy white flowers in springtime. Tightly pyramidal in form, Edith Bogue stands up better than others under snow and ice and is considered to be one of the hardiest cultivars, rated at USDA Zone 6. Originally from native stock in Florida, the tree proved hardy in the New Jersey garden of Edith A. Bogue. Introduced to the trade in 1941, it remains a very popular tree. Height and spread are approximately 30’ x 40’.
D. D. Blanchard Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora ‘D. D. Blanchard’
Fragrant creamy white flowers crown the dark green, glossy, evergreen foliage in springtime. Rusty brown undersides of the leaves are soft and fuzzy. Adding a delightful contrast of color and texture. Eventually growing to be a large tree, this handsome cultivar reaches a height and spread of about 35’ x 20’ after 30 years in an average urban landscape.
Gardeners! Please note that our nursery is strictly wholesale. To purchase these and other trees grown by our nursery, please use our Retailer Locator to find sources of JFS trees near you.
