Hello: I am looking to plant an evergreen magnolia tree in my garden in North Vancouver. I am in a relatively shady area, but there are evergreen magnolias in nearby houses that are thriving. Unfortunately, I have no idea what variant these other houses have. My garden is mostly focussed on anything 'lush and green', rather than flowering. This tree would complement my garden and provide some mid to high level screening. From what I have read here and elsewhere, two reasonable choices would be Bracken Brown or St. Mary's. They are also what is available at my local garden shops. I have not been able to find much that distinguishes the two, other than St. Mary's is 'compact'. However, both seem to grow to a fairly large size, and I would be happy with either in that regard. The key criteria I have is: - Variant that is most tolerant to shade - I am not worried about what type, or how often it flowers - I am not worried about leaf drop or the need to prune - Variant that is dense and good for mid and high level screening - Hardy - for North Vancouver - Fast growth is a plus Thanks for any help. I posted a similar question just moments ago, but it did not appear, so I apologize if this pops up twice.
To minimize snow breakage plant a bushier one like 'Saint Mary' or 'Victoria'. Avoid 'Little Gem', as it mildews in this region and may snap in half under snow, after growing for years.
Thank you Ron for taking the time to respond to my message. From what I read, St Mary flowers quickly, and has a flatter aspect than Bracken Brown. Both are called 'compact'. I worry that if St Mary's is known for flowering, vs Bracken Brown less so, that this may in turn mean it likes more sunlight than Bracken Brown....would this be a reasonable correlation? Thanks again.
No, all Magnolia grandiflora cultivars would be expected to have pretty much the same light requirements.
