Magnolia liliiflora 'NIGRA'

This is one of the latest varieties of spring magnolias opening its flowers in May, thus avoiding late frosts that may damage flower petals or entire buds. Nigra’s petals are dark burgundy-purple on the outside and very light purple or nearly white on the inside. The goblet-shaped flowers are borne erect on the stems and appear late in May, and continue blooming for as long as 4 weeks even when the shrub is in leaf.

This magnolia usually grows about 2-3m high and 2m wide. Deciduous leaves are obovate, mid to deep green, bronze when young. It grows slowly forming a dense shrub with profusion of flowers every year.

The best place to plant it is in front of an evergreen hedge or dense and large conifers where it can make a superb display of its delicately coloured flowers on bare branches. It is ideal as a free-standing specimen or sensitively situated in a group of compact conifers of Japanese style and / or other, smaller growing magnolias of red or purple colours.

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 fully hardy to USDA zone 5. Just make sure it is not in a too exposed windy area. We still recommend mulching it well to keep it moist in any season.


Last update 23-03-2008