Hi Squirelette:

Wow, are you sure it is a Magnolia Wilsonii? They are supposedly a zone 6 plant and higher, you list your zone as 3.

We do have one in our yard (zone 7 the last few years) and it always loses it leaves. Some stick to the branches long after they dry up.

More likely you have Magnolia sieboldii, they are often confused (and mislabeled) as Wilsonii. This species is listed to zone 4 so it would have a better chance of making it through your winter. Going by memory, the inside of the Sieboldii flowers have a purple tinge, the Wilsonii have more of an orange tinge. The flower shape itself is almost exactly the same. Like all Magnolia family members they prefer acidic soil.

Cheers,
MG

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Hi,
Pretty sure that it was labelled wilsonii although I can not find the tag. I had the Seiboldi when we lived in Vancouver and they have more round shaped leaves as I recall. Any idea how old the tree needs to be to bloom, it is about 5 feet now so I would guess 2-3 years. Thanks

Hi:

Mine are just budding up. I will take a leaf photo of each when they emerge so you can compare them to your specimen. I got mine in a one gallon pot, it started blooming the second year. It may take longer in your climate ;-)

Cheers,
MG

Here is a link that might be useful: Our website

That is great, thanks for the info. It will be interesting to see how it does out here. Looking forward to seeing the pics.

Well, I'm much milder than you are; but my M. wilsonii started to flower when it was about three or four feet tall. It had three flowers two years ago, six flowers last year; and I'm counting about twenty-five buds this year.

It's completely decidious for me and has long oval light green leaves which are a bit fuzzy. The leaves come out about when it blooms and the leaf bud covers have brownish fuzz on them.

Mine is just budding, leaf and bloom now. Our temps are running about fifty at night, daffodils are on the way out but not done, primroses are going full blast and my rhodie is just done blooming.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the help. I finally found the tag, it is not wilsonii it is Viginiana "jim wilson". The tips are just starting to unfurl so I will wait and see what it does this year. Just the fact that it survived is amazing.

Hi:

I just googled the 'Jim Wilson' and I really liked the look of the flower. It is going on my 'future tree list', I think it would make a great addition.

My Sieboldi is going to open a bloom today (it is totally covered;-), I will get a photo soon. Only a few buds on the Wilsonii but it is much smaller and in a shady area.

Cheers,
MG

Here is a link that might be useful: Our website

Hi,
Any southern magnolia that can survive the winter we had has got to be a winner. I am so anxious to see it leaf out. This spring has been terrible, snow most of this week, alot of the trees are very slow to leaf. I do not expect to see blooms for a couple years but I am hoping. I would love a Sieboldi, I brought one when we moved back here from Vancouver but it did not make it thru the 2nd winter. I will have to try it again my yards front and back are raised so it would be lovely to sit on the patio with it blooming overhead.

According to the book about magnolias by James M Gardiner, M wilsonii is regarded as hardiness zone 3 in North America.