Anyone familiar with this tree? I'm looking for a somewhat smaller cultivar, other than Little Gem. I also was considering "St Mary" - I saw one a few years ago at a local nursery and loved the scent of the flowers, but am unable to locate one now. Tks for any info.
Neither are as narrow-growing and small-parted as 'Little Gem'. Both are on the small side overall, as far as it goes for this species, although I have seen some towering specimens (for this area) in an old Seattle neighborhood that look quite like 'St. Mary' (of contemporary west coast commerce). 'Little Gem' has been called "dwarf" in commercial literature, whereas I have not seen this handle put on the other two. http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.ns...84d0071d299!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,timeless http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.ns...825684d0071d191!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,mary
Hi Ron Tks for the info. I've always loved magnolias, especially after seeing an evergreen specimen in China that was just enormous - a platform on the third story of the temple was the perfect spot to enjoy the perfume of the huge flowers. I've been saving an entire area in the front for a magnolia, and I think I can go bigger than Little Gem (understand the flowers are smaller on these), but not a 50 ft giant. I just wonder if the fragrance of Timeless Beauty is as strong as St Mary.
Hi Maggie, We normally have these trees in stock (we did several weeks ago, before I went out for achilles tendon surgery). More than likely we still have all three cultivars. Since I'm located about 30 miles south of San Francisco, that may not help you much. All are considered "small trees", growing 20-25' tall. The differences between 'Timeless Beauty' & 'St. Mary' are subtle. Both grow to 20-25' wide. "TB" 10" wide flowers; "St.M" 8-10" wide flowers. Both have large leaves and are reasonably dense. One of them may lack the rusty hairs on the underside I cannot tell you which is which. As for "Little Gem" is definitely the densest of the bunch. Everything about it is smaller in scale: The leaves are only about 5" long The flowers only 5-6" wide. It's also the narrowist -- only 10-15' wide. "LG" is well-suited for containers and narrow areas. Hope this helps.
Hi Kathy Thanks v much for the info - definitely very useful to know. Too bad you're down in CA! Anyway, I have a possible lead on TB - hope it works out so I can get her into the ground this fall. Maggie
More impressive blooms? Foliage? I saw a beautiful St Mary in a nursery a few years back, and filed her away for future reference (was in a townhouse at the time). Now I can't seem to find stock anywhere. If anyone has any leads on local nurseries carrying this tree, or TB, I'd love to know.
I saw a 6-8 ft. St. Mary at Bloom Nursery on Westminster Hwy. in Richmond yesterday. It looked pretty healthy but not big enough for what I want right now. Personal Opinion: I wasn't happy with their delivery charge to Champlain Heights, $60, and they only delivery on weekdays. I'm not interested in dealing with companies who are trying to make money off the delivery. It makes me wonder if they're really any good at their primary business. I ended up buying a Magnolia Grandiflora, Edith Bogue, at TKY Nursery, down the road on Westminster Hwy. First of all, one of the family members nurtured this tree himself for seven years. It's about 9 ft. tall and 4 or 5 ft. wide. And they delivered on Sunday, today! Fabulous!
Keep in mind that none of them are in the business of giving things away. The company that doesn't charge for delivery is getting it some other way, such as highter pricing. Or they consider the free delivery a promotional activity, like discount coupons. However a particular company approaches it they are all spending money on every delivery, including cost of vehicle, labor and insurance.
This is my opinion and it's OK to disagree and I'd like to clarify my stance. I don't mind paying a nursery's costs for the delivery as a value-added service, I'm not expecting it to be free. I don't expect a nursery, in the business of growing plants, to make a profit from delivering the plants they're growing. I expect them to be knowledgable and helpful about their business and I am perfectly willing to pay them for their expertise. Delivery is a value-added service, not the profit-making part of their business.
