Much as I enjoy all colours of Magnolia, I have a particular soft spot for the dark purple/red end of the range. All will lighten with time after blooming, but the ones that start out as almost blue/black give the garden a colour range that isn't common. Here are three currently blooming in my garden. Bear in mind that they show darker to the eye than they do on the computer. Black Tulip, fairly recent, with 6" blooms and medium growing habit. Vulcan x Iolanthe New Zealand Hybrid Genie, another NZ hybrid (soulangeana x lilliflora) that has similar sized flowers but an even smaller growing habit suitable for small gardens. Finally, a quite recently released cultivar, Tinker Belle (also seen as Tinkerbell) , with smaller 3" blooms and even smaller growth habit. This should become quite popular once it gets into general distribution as it flowers prolifically even in the nursery from an early age. I have no info on who hybridized it nor what the cross may be - if anyone knows, please reply.
