Best Magnolia for Small Urban Gardens? Take Your Pick....

Just as Magnolia stellata is coming into full, icy white bloom here on Queen Anne hill, I received the following magnolia inquiry: 

Question:  We are looking for a magnolia that is in the 20-25 feet range for our house in Columbia City. What would you recommend? I have memories of an amazing Japanese magnolia in our first home in Long Island. Would love to get your input on this.  PS, my husband was inspired by your video and is threatening to resign as yard boy!     Aaliyah Gupta

Answer:  I warn you that once my husband started kayaking and biking every weekend, there was no going back to hauling mulch and digging in the garden! So, my apologies, and I hope you can keep your husband busy in the garden...

I love magnolias, with their handsome structure, large leaves and southern good looks. Many grow too statuesque for city gardens, but if you're looking for a deciduous magnolia you might consider M. x loebneri 'Leonard Messel' with fat, fuzzy buds in winter followed by strap-like pink flowers later in spring. Best of all it tops out at 20 feet tall over many years; in a decade it only grows about 12 feet high. Magnolia 'Pegasus' is another deciduous beauty that stays even smaller, and sports huge white-blushed-with-pink flowers in April.

  If you're looking for a quintessential evergreen, glossy-leafed magnolia, M. grandiflora 'Little Gem' and 'Elizabeth' both stay reasonably small, have lovely copper-colored indementum on the back of their leaves, and bloom in summer. The large, waxy, lemony-fragrant white flowers are cup-shaped and so sweetly scented on warm summer afternoons. Few other small trees have such a presence in the garden year-round.

(See comment chain - Glenn Withey says that 'Little Gem' has really suffered in the last three cold winters, and you should plant it with caution - and only in a warm spot in the garden....)

For a longer list of magnolias that thrive in our climate, check out the Great Plant Picks web page - there are several more smaller magnolias called out by experts, with photos and descriptions. Thanks to GPP's Richie Steffen for these photos....

I

 

Comments

[Gardening]

I came across your blog and fell in love with your final post with more beautiful pictures.,, www.vivamagonline.com Very simple and best article to read,Just thank for the interesting article....

[Nell Jean]

I have both Leonard Messel and Little Gem. The final choice is between spring blooms, summer green and winter blah until the fuzzy buds come on, or magnificent fragrant summer blooms and year-round evergreen foliage. I hope she has room for both.

[Glenn Withey]

Many 'Little Gem' magnolias were hammered this past winter (and come to think of it, the two before)...

So, I would plant with caution.

[valerie Easton]

Thanks, Glenn - I grew 'Little Gem' in my old garden and it never suffered from the cold...but that was years ago and winters have changed...I'll add this information to the original post....
Val

[Michelle Mole]

Hello. I am wondering if you can tell me where the beautiful table and chairs are from that are in the healing garden at the Fisher House. They are in the photo in Pacific Northwest Magazine March 6th. There was no mention of who designed that table/chairs or where there are from. I love them! Hope you can help.
Many Thanks,
~Michelle

[Jim Fox]

The "little" in 'Little Gem' refers to the leaves, not the growth. It can get quite large - if not organically pruned back by the past cold winters. On the plus side, it takes quite well to pruning by a gardening so could be kept narrower
Jim