Comparison of ALL evergreen varieties

Discussion in 'Magnoliaceae' started by Nanaimoite, Mar 10, 2008.

  1. Nanaimoite

    Nanaimoite Member

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    I have Googled long enough!

    Hopefully someone in this forum has a link that lists, or possibly, compares all know varieties of Magnolia trees.

    Information that I'm looking for would help me decide on which tree I should plant in my front yard. Yard details:
    - Located on mid Vancouver Island (good weather for Canada)
    - Small lot (1500sqft house on .12acre lot, densly packed subdivision)
    - Sunny location (frontyard faces SW with sun all day except earliest hours of day)
    - Soil conditions poor? (developer removed all topsoil from subdivision, replaced with sandy/gravely type soil. Drains very well but I don't think very nutrient rich)
    - Luckily, neighbours all seem to have Japanese Maples. I could possibly be the only Magnolia on the block :)
    - Desire an evergreen tree that is as wide as it is tall (or able to prune to that shape) Maximum height 40' but would perfer something more like 25'-35'
    - I've only seen 'Victoria' and 'Edith Bogue' varieties in local stores. As I am somewhat colour impared, I'd perfer something that isn't white or pink. As this is to be a happy housewarming gift to myself, I'm willing to splurge on a more exotic variety. OR, if Victoria and Edith Bogue really are the only practical choices, I'd appreciate any helpful starting advice.

    All feedback is greatly appreciated!
     
  2. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    With hardy magnolias your choices are purple, nearly red through pink to white and yellow. Most of these colors are found among deciduous magnolias only. However, Magnolia ernestii (Michelia wilsonii) has done well in a Bellevue, WA garden and has yellow flowers instead of the usual white for an evergreen magnolia. A strongly pink/nearly red form of Magnolia insignis (Manglietia insignis) is also being grown, however it tends have less attractive foliage than the form of M. ernestii seen here. Both of these introductions will have been likely to have come to retail outlets on this continent from Piroche Plants.

    http://www.pirocheplants.com/
     
  4. Donald King

    Donald King Member

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    A nice evergreen magnolia that seems to fit your requirements is M. grandiflora "St Mary" - a nice medium sized tree. My only problem with the tree has been limb breakage because of wet snow.

    M. ernestii is a nice tree, but flowers are small (not more than 2" across) and all, or most, of the flowers are in the top half of the tree.

    Another good suggestion would be M. yuyuanensis. Mine has bloomed only once so far, last year. It is white, cup shaped with a dark red on the outside of the tepals. I am anxiously awaiting to see the bloom this year (2008).

    Since you live in Canada, you may have better luck in finding some unusual magnolias. It seems that several of the nurseries in the US do not like to deal with Piroche because of the cost of returning unsatisfactory plants and the cost of redoing phytos.

    BTW - The Magnolia Checklist on magnoliasociety.org (which is not up-to-date) is in the process of being updated and the intent is to add one image per clone for as many clones as we can. This process will take a lot of work and it will take a while to accomplish. Also, the classification is up-to-date and lists all known species - most of which we will never be seen in this country because of their tenderness. However, there are no descriptions; but there are some images.
     
  5. Nanaimoite

    Nanaimoite Member

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    Thank you all for your replys!
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Yesterday the M. ernestii in Bellevue was measured as having a trunk 33" around and estimated to be about 40' tall. It flowers down to the bottom of the crown.

    M. yuyuana, although tall was dying back this year at Heronswood.
     
  7. Donald King

    Donald King Member

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    Hi
    I think that this string originally pertained to evergreen magnolias even though the title did not fully state so, not natural privacy fences such as English Laurel. Just so we do not get off of the original query.
    Don
     
  8. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Don, I removed the post you replied to -- it was from a spammer who was cutting and pasting content from elsewhere so it looked semi-relevant.
     
  9. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Later the Bellevue M. ernestii was measured with a precision instrument as being 36' 6" tall. One at UBC should be taller, although it broke later at one time it was 18 m high (according to Grimshaw/Bayton, NEW TREES (2009, Kew/IDS).
     

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