Tree of the Week: Saucer Magnolia

The saucer magnolia -- Magnolia x soulangiana

In 1703 Charles Plumier named a beautiful flowering tree from the island Martinique after Pierre Magnol, director of the Botanical Garden in Montpellier, France. Western botanists "discovered" related plants in Asia, including the yulan, or jade orchid (Magnolia denudata), which the Chinese had been growing since the 7th century. In the early 18th century the Frenchman Etienne Soulange-Boudin bred this M. denudata with another flowering Asian magnolia, M. liliiflora, thus creating M. x soulangiana (also spelled soulangeana). In winter or early spring this glorious hybrid's hundreds of large, goblet-shaped pink flowers erupt into bloom. Dozens of additional varieties have been created.

The saucer magnolia, also called tulip tree, or Magnolia soulangiana, is a slow-growing, round-headed, deciduous tree or large shrub, eventually reaching 25 by 25 feet. Trees are often multi-stemmed; bark is smooth gray. The 5- to 8-inch-long broad leaves give the tree a coarse texture. Originally from wetter climates, it is so sensitive to the quantity of salts in drinking water here that it often turns  brown at the tip. Upright, fuzzy, inch-long buds announce the coming arrival of the early blooming flowers, which appear just before the leaves. The fragrant flowers contain six wavy petals, 3 to 6 inches long, in colors ranging from purple through pink or white, and usually darker on the outside than within. Small gray fruits open to expose orange red seeds. The tree loves moisture, good rich soil, half shade or full sun if well mulched, and it does well in lawns. It is somewhat drought tolerant once established.

Magnolias, both the evergreen and the deciduous kinds, are considered primitive flowering plants. They developed so early during plant history that there were no bees yet to pollinate their flowers; beetles did that job instead. Some species have medical uses.

-- Pieter Severynen

Thoughts? Comments?

Photo: Pieter Severynen

Comments

[syscom3]

I have a Magnolia tree in my front yard. Its on my list to be chopped down and replaced with a California native tree.

[Quercus Fan]

Agreed. Why are so many trees of the week non-native? Given that the right native tree requires almost no maintenance or water once established, replaces lost habitat and can be just as attractive as any exotic, why isn't there a greater focus on native flora?

[markus]

This is a lovely tree that is brilliant in Jan/Feb and is not the big burly magnolias that the previous commentators mentioned. In addition, the blog is about the trees in Southern California that adorn our cities, streets and homes.