Magnolia 'PURPLE SENSATION'

This new magnolia is for everyone who fell in love with Lanarth variety and its deep purple red cup shaped flowers. It is another of its new clones with large flowers whose deeper colour is present both outside and inside the petals, and was achieved by crossing Lanarth with magnolia liliiflora "Nigra". It starts blooming at a considerably young age of 2-4 years if grafted (compare to seedlings which may take as long as 20 years!), and flowers open when spring weather gets warmer.

The deciduous leaves are fresh green, ovate to obovate and densely cover the whole plant when in leaf. This variety grows slower than the usual saucer magnolia and makes shorter branches that form a thick but elegant bush. The ultimate size in full maturity is estimated to reach some 5m. It is naturally slimmer than saucer magnolia, making only about half the width of its height.

Magnolias are not supposed to be pruned. You can prune old shrubs if ill, or trim them to shape or to reduce size, or make an elementary cut to young plants of unsightly or unhealthy appearance. Do this as soon as possible after flowering to secure setting of flower buds for the following year. Be aware that each magnolia can respond differently to pruning.

Deciduous magnolias are quite easy plants. All they need is light, well-drained, acidic soil with equal moisture throughout the year. Once established they can do with occasional drought but will not look as nice as the ones with regular watering. Just pay attention to how to plant your magnolia. First, find it a spot where it will live forever and ever. It does not like transplanting. And as it makes shallow roots reaching well over its spread stay away from disturbing the roots by digging or messing about around it. Just cover the soil with bark mulch and do not plant anything else near it after say the second year after planting onwards. You could damage the very important top roots that absorb maximum moisture and nutrients from the soil. Also avoid planting magnolia too deep. Thus you could be digging its grave. It is hardy to about -24°C (USDA zone 6), plants with mature wood may probably take stronger frost.

Last update 07-09-2010