March Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Japanese Magnolia

One of the showiest trees in our Spring garden is the Japanese Magnolia. Also known as the Saucer Magnolia or the Tulip Tree, this magnolia is a multi-stemmed spreading tree that often looks more like a very large shrub. 

The white, pink or purple blooms are very fragrant and appear in early Spring, usually in March. Large fuzzy flower buds are formed in winter and will begin opening  as early as February during a prolonged warm spell. 

Japanese Magnolia is easy to grow, but it loves moisture, so water it deeply during Summer droughts. Plant your tree in full sun for the showiest bloom.

February Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Star Magnolia

Magnolia stellata is one of my favorite winter blooming shrubs. Often flowers of the Star Magnolia are burned from the frosts of Winter, turning the beautiful white blossoms brown before they can be enjoyed. But not this year! Winter frosts were so few that I enjoyed many blooms on our little shrub this time. 

I wish we could claim this magnolia as a Georgia native, because it grows so well here and is a favorite of Southern gardeners, but Star Magnolia is native to Japan. 

Blooms are large and showy flowers that open in late Winter here in Georgia, before the shrub leafs out. Blossoms come in pink or white. The flowers are sweetly fragrant and more noticeable when the shrub is in full bloom.

Magnolias grow in sun or shade and prefer well-drained soil with regular water. Magnolia stellata needs regular water, especially during hot summer when grown in full sun.

Even if you live no where near Georgia, you can still grow this beautiful shrub, since Magnolia stellata is hardy in USDA Zones 4-9.

Star Magnolia is a slow grower, but in good conditions it will grow up to 15 feet tall and about 10 feet wide. It can be allowed to grow in its own bushy form, or you can limb it up into a small tree.

April Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Week 3

Michelia figo

Banana Shrub, Michelia figo, is a large-growing evergreen shrub in the Magnolia Family. Banana Shrub enjoys shade and regular water. Blooms are highly fragrant and really do smell like bananas. The petals are the color of a banana peel but with a burgundy center. A large bush will fragrance the whole garden and cause your friends to go on a search for the source of the scent.

Calycanthus floridus

A native shrub blooming in my garden this week is Calycanthus floridus, most often referred to as Sweet Shrub, but also known as Sweet Betsy, Bubby Bush, and Pineapple Shrub. Blooms are very fragrant, but the fragrance can vary from one bush to another. Some don't have much of a scent while others will. There's a reddish brown blooming species and a yellow blooming cultivar. The yellow blooming 'Athens' is said to be much more fragrant that the species.

Bignonia capreolata

Crossvine is a vigorous native vine often confused with Trumpet Creeper/Trumpet Vine/Cow Itch, but it's a different plant altogether. Bignonia capreolata is an evergreen vine with orange to red blooms like the flames of a fire. Hummingbirds love it even more than I do. Blooms are fragrant, but we seem to disagree with eachother on what the flowers smell like. Some say they smell like curry, but others insist it's mocha. Crossvine needs a strong support but is not invasive. Native to the Southeastern United States.

Aesculus pavia

Red Buckeye, Aesculus pavia, is my most favorite native tree. This small native tree grows with a shrubby habit and is native to the Eastern United States. It naturally occurs in shady woods but when grown in full sun, the flowers are huge red and yellow spikes that are showy from a great distance. Red Buckeye is one of the first plants to bloom when the hummingbirds return in the Spring. This buckeye is drought tolerant and very easy to grow.

Ashe Magnolia, Magnolia Ashei: Dramatic Focal Point for the Shade Garden

Magnolia Macrophylla, more commonly called Bigleaf Magnolia, is a very rare plant native to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the most beautiful plants I have ever seen. Huge leaves can be up to 18 inches long! The flower is large--up to 6 inches across--and very fragrant. If pollinated, a seedpod will develop that sports very juicy-looking red seeds that are very ornamental, providing food for the birds.

Magnolia ‘Ashei’ is a variety of Bigleaf Magnolia that blooms at an earlier age than others. Shown in the photo above is our own plant with a bloom while only slightly taller than knee high.

Smaller and more bushy than macrophylla, Ashe Magnolia reaches a height of about 15 feet with a spread of about 12 feet, growing in a more rounded form.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 6 - 9.

Site: Prefers moist woodland soil rich in organic matter.

Light: Partial shade. Tolerates morning sun. (Needs plenty of moisture with more sun.)

Water: Needs regular water.

While some botanists have put this magnolia as a subspecies of Magnolia macrophylla in the past, the new Flora of North America has decided Ashei is a species in itself. It is much smaller & often multi-trunked, blooming at an earlier age (3 to 4 years). Magnolia ashei is the rarest Magnolia in North America.

Magnolia Macrophylla will provide a tropical look to your garden and is at home in any southern style garden. Provide some shelter from wind and hot sun, since the huge leaves are somewhat sensitive.

Source for this plant: Shady Gardens Nursery.