We are among the fortunate, because Magnolias grow in our city. Their big fragrant flowers signal the start of spring, and there are so many different kinds of Magnolias that every month from March to September we can find open Magnolia flowers in Portland. Wow.
Magnolia ‘Ann’
Purple tulip flowers bloom just after Star Magnolias in spring and repeat bloom in late summer.
Magnolia virginiana: Sweet Bay Magnolia. Native to the US east coast from Massachusetts to Florida and Texas near the coast. Creamy white lemon-scented flowers in late spring to early fall. Leaves are evergreen in mild areas, often deciduous in Portland’s windy areas. One of the few plants to thrive in swampy wet areas! Magnolia became a major trade post, bringing goods in from across the Pacific. (Today, Smith Cove is a cruise ship terminal, which is equally important!) It didn’t take long before the roads improved, and people could settle in the hills of Magnolia.
Slow-growing shrubby form to 10’ tall x 12’ wide – likes sun to part shade, Zone 5.
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’
Dark wine red goblet shaped flowers are the same color inside and out. Flowers open in early spring before foliage appears.
Deciduous.
Grows to 15-20’ tall x 6-10’ wide
Likes full sun to part shade, Zone 5.
Magnolia acuminata ‘Butterflies’
Considered by many to be one of the best yellow magnolias. Many lemon yellow flowers appear in spring before foliage. Deciduous. Upright pyramidal form.
Grows to 20’ x 20’, likes sun to part shade, Zone 4.
Magnolia acuminata ‘Elizabeth’
Pale yellow flowers w/ the outermost petals tinged green open before leaves arrive in spring. Deciduous. Sterile, so no seed pods develop on tree. Upright oval to pyramidal shape, 25-30’ tall, 12-15’ wide. Likes sun to part shade, Zone 5.
Magnolia ‘Galaxy’
Dark purple buds, petals purple on the outside, lighter pink to white inside. Flowers are up to 9” across. Deciduous.
Grows to 25-30’ tall x 15-20’ wide, likes full sun to part shade, Zone 5.
Magnolia grandiflora: Southern Magnolia
Native to SE United States from North Carolina to Texas and the state flower of Mississippi and Louisiana.
Huge white flowers with waxy thick petals bloom sporadically from May through summer. Their scent is strong, clean and fruity. Seed pods form following flowers. Large dark green glossy foliage has a fuzzy cinnamon color reverse. Leaves shed year-round, but the tree is never without foliage.
Full sun, Hardy Z7
Many cultivated varieties are currently in production.
- ‘Edith Bogue’ – 25' X 25'
- ‘Little Gem’ – 25’ X 10-15’ with smaller leaves than other varieties.
- ‘St. Mary’ – 25' X 25'
Magnolia ‘Jane’
Reddish purple buds open to pink flowers, lighter on the inside than outside.
Flowers open over a long period of time. Deciduous.
Grows to 15’ tall x 15’ wide – likes sun to part shade, Zone 5.
Magnolia macrophylla: Big Leaf Magnolia
Native to SE United States from Ohio to Florida, Arkansas to Louisiana, usually in isolated populations – Huge leaves from 12” to 30” long, 6” to 12” wide are spring green on top and frosty gray underneath. June flowers are large, cup shape, creamy white and fragrant. Blooms at 15 years, but is worth the wait. Native habitat is shady and moist but it will adapt to sunnier and drier locations. Zone 5. (Photo courtesy Oregon State University).
Magnolia sieboldii: Oyama Magnolia
Native to Japan – Sparkling white sweetly fragrant flowers w/ rose pink stamens bloom in May and June. Pink seed pods form in summer. Deciduous leaves turn yellow before falling in October. Grows in an upright vase shape to 10-15’ tall and wider. This Magnolia is perfectly suited to a woodland garden or planted as an under story tree with dappled light. All-day sun is OK, but will require extra water to keep leaves from burning. Zone 6.
Magnolia soulangiana: Saucer or Tulip Magnolia
Saucer Magnolia is a hybrid of Magnolia denudata and Magnolia liliiflora first developed in France in 1826. It is named for Etiene Soulange Boudin who raised the original seedling.
Flowers appear in early spring and resemble saucers. Fat petals tinged rose pink or purple at the base surround pink stamens and exude a sweet clean fragrance. Green leaves turn gold and brown before falling in autumn. Brown seed pods persist and when opened reveal bright red seeds. Growth habit is upright in youth, developing a broad round head with heavy spreading branches.
Grows 20-25' x 15-20', Full sun, Hardy Z5
Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star': Star Magnolia
White star flowers are among the first trees to bloom each year, signaling the arrival of spring.
Flowers appear before green leaves.
Foliage turns yellow before falling in autumn.
Grows 10-15' X 10-12', Sun, Hardy Z4
Magnolia ‘Susan’
Very dark red/purple buds and flowers bloom in April. Deciduous.
Shrubby habit, grows to 10-15’ tall & wide.
Likes sun to part shade. Zone 5.
Magnolia virginiana: Sweet Bay Magnolia
Native to the US east coast from Massachusetts to Florida and Texas near the coast. Creamy white lemon-scented flowers in late spring to early fall. Leaves are evergreen in mild areas, often deciduous in Portland’s windy areas. One of the few plants to thrive in swampy wet areas! Likes sun to part shade & acidic soil. Zone 5.
Native Dating Near Magnolia Village
Magnolia ‘Vulcan’
A truly magnificent flower. Color drenched dark red to purple petals make huge 10 inch flowers with wavy edges.
‘Vulcan’ blooms at a young age, but flowers may not take on their full color for a few years.
Deciduous. Upright with open branching habit.
Grows to 20’ tall x 15’ wide.
Sun to part shade, Hardy Z6
Find the best Trees for your Garden
We carry a wide variety of trees year-round. These represent only a fraction of what you will find and are some of our favorites. Note: Viewing a Native Plant will take you into our Native Plant section.
The Magnificent Magnolias
Part I: Family Tree
The Magnoliafamily is thought by many botanists to be the most primitive of the floweringplant families. It is also considered a very ancient group, with fossilrecords of many now extinct species dating to the Cretaceous Period, about60 million years ago. Some of its equally ancient neighbors found in fossilrecords from the same period include sweetgum, sycamore, birch, and oak.Magnolia species of that period have been found in fossil recordsas far north as Alaska and Greenland. The family and genus were named forPierre Magnol, renowned 17th century French botanist. Today this familyincludes some of the most interesting trees of the modern era. Members ofthe Magnolia family are deciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs with simple,alternate leaves and large flowers borne singly at or near the tips of thebranches. The fruits are large, many seeded, leathery cone-shaped aggregates.Seeds are large and fleshy, usually red to pink in color and are suspendedfrom the open fruits by thin elastic threads which may aid in dispersalby attracting birds and small mammals. Several magnificent magnolia familymembers are planted on our campus. Do you know who they are?
There are 12 genera worldwide and 180190 species in the magnificent magnoliafamily. They are found in Southeast Asia, the eastern United States to CentralAmerica, and from the West Indies to Brazil. Two genera are native to theUnited States, Magnolia, and Liriodendron. The genus Magnoliahas very large, showy, insect-pollinated flowers that can reach up to onefoot in diameter. It includes 7075 species, six of which are native to theUnited States. Only one of our four campus magnolia species is native, Magnoliaacuminata or cucumber tree, which is located on the lawn of the campuswarehouse. All of our magnificent magnolias were planted on campus as ornamentals.Our other three Magnolia species on campus are hybrids or nativesof Southeast Asia. Many ornamental forms have been developed and Magnoliaspecies are widely planted throughout the world as landscape specimens.The Chinese were first to cultivate magnolia, but not for it's horticulturalcharacteristics. They were grown for a more practical purpose: the budswere used as flavoring for rice and medicines. Magnolia is considered anemblem of purity among Asian cultures.
The genus Liriodendron has only two species worldwide, one in Chinaand one in the eastern United States. Fossil records indicate that thisgenus was also previously widely distributed throughout North America andthe Old World in several forms. Liriodendron flowers are smallerand less showy than those of Magnolia but are also insect pollinated.We will take a look at these magnificent magnolias in more detail in thenext installment!
Native Dating Near Magnolia
by Cathy Heidenreich
Next(Magnolias: Part II)
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