Star Magnolia seeds

Habitat

native to Japan
zone 4
Habit and Form

a deciduous small tree or large shrub
grows 15′ to 20′ tall, with a spread of 10′ to 15′
branching is upright-spreading; multi-stemmed
shape is rounded or oval
has a somewhat dense-compact, twiggy nature

Summer Foliage

leaves are elliptic
2″ to 4″ long and half as wide
leaves are smaller than other magnolias and form a dense foliage mass
color is medium to dark green
new leaves emerge with a bronze cast
clean-looking, high quality

Autumn Foliage

no fall color develops
Flowers

3″ to 4″ across
white to pink-tinged
12-18 tepals per flower
each tepal is 1.5″ to 2″ long
tepals are narrow and strap-like
blooms just before M. x. soulangiana
blossoms lightly fragrant
very showy in bloom

Fruit

reddish-green, knobby aggregate fruit
about 2″ long
often drops before fully developed
fruit mature and open in early autumn
mature fruit opens by slits to reveal orange red seeds

Bark

young twigs have smooth, shiny chestnut brown bark
main trunks have smooth, silvery gray bark
bark is ornamental

Culture

grows best in moist, organic, fertile soil
relatively adaptable as long as extreme sites are avoided
situate in locations that are cool in spring to delay early flowering
full sun is best
Landscape Use

as a specimen
for patios
excellent flowering tree for small spaces

Liabilities

blooms are frequently injured by spring frosts
magnolia scale
soft-wooded and prone to damage from heavy snow and ice
overall a relatively trouble-free plant
ID Features

small leaves for a magnolia
flower buds covered with very long hairs
12 to 18 strap-like tepals per flower
small habit and size for a magnolia

Propagation

by seed
by cuttings
Cultivars/Varieties

‘Centennial’ – One of the finest selections, this plant was released by Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum to commemorate the institution’s 100th anniversary in 1972. The many-petaled flowers are white with a hint of pink, while the upright, vigorous pyramidal plant reaches 25′ tall. It is considered one of the best cultivars and is very popular in the trade.

‘Rosea’ – This name appears to serve as an umbrella for several light pink-flowered clones. It forms a large, dense shrub or small tree to 15′ tall and is common in commerce.

‘Royal Star’ – Perhaps the most common commercial selection, this plant opens white flowers from pink buds slightly later than other selections. It becomes a densely-branched large shrub to 10′ tall, clothed in deep green foliage.

‘Waterlily’ – Pink buds open to lighter-colored, fragrant flowers with many petals, thus the name. A number of different plants appear to be offered under this name. It form an upright, large shrub or small tree to 15′ tall. The plant may flower slightly later than other cultivars.