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Michelia Maudaie - Fantastic Plant!!

bmason
18 years ago

I have not posted here for some time but I just had to let my fellow fragrant plant fans know about Michelia Maudaie.

This is the second year in a row this small tree has knocked me out. It is an evergreen tree that at maturity is supposed to grow to 25'. I bought mine two years ago and it was about 3' high, it is now about 10'. It is in a half day of full sun in the morning and very moist and very organic soil.

It is beautiful just on its own as a nice sized evergreen tree (leaves are similar to Magnolia Grandiflora in shape but smaller and lighter in color) the The leaves are bluish green but the real great thing about this plant is the flowers which for the second year in a row have all but covered the tree. The flowers form along the entire branch (unlike magnolia that form at the end). It is in bloom right now (March/April)which is nice as not much else is out except for Daphne Odora and Camellias and Rhodos. The flower color is pure white, the scent is fantastic, fresh but not too sweet. It is my favorite along with Magnolia, Plumeria and Daphne Odora. It will waft but I don't consider it a strong wafter like Daphne Odora.

Like many Michelia it lost many leaves when I initially planted it but and made a slow recovery first season. It has lived completely unprotected in North Vancouver and my last two winters temperature minimums were -11.3C and -7.2C - NO DAMAGE AT ALL. We also have very wet winters here and many plants succumb to rot, not this one.

Piroche Plants out of Pitt Meadows BC brought them over from China. I don't recommend many plants but I will stand up for this one. I hope that any of you that do find it have the same success I have had.

Comments (20)

  • longriver
    18 years ago

    bmason:
    Thanks for your information.
    Hope some nursereis in US can import many new plants. Of course proper certification for importation is very important. Berkeley Horticulture Nursery imports Yellow camellia( C.nitidissima) from BC. One nursery in Seattle also imports green tea from BC.

  • jimshy
    18 years ago

    Several nurseries in the U.S. are now offering this species -- try a web search and it'll turn up.

    Now, if only they can develop a dwarf clone that can grow in a pot, I'd be on it in a second!

    Magnolias/Michelias rule.

    Jim (spent all weekend sniffing the mags at the botanical garden)

  • cloob
    18 years ago

    bmason,
    Yes it is a very nice plant! Michelia doltsopa is also another of my favorites covered in white flowers with a slightly stronger sent.
    Enjoy, Cal

  • Ron_B
    18 years ago

    >Now, if only they can develop a dwarf clone that can grow in a pot, I'd be on it in a second!Try Magnolia dianica.

  • jimshy
    18 years ago

    Ron B.,

    Got all excited about your recommendation until I searched for it and realized it's the new name for Michelia yunnanensis -- I am, in fact, growing this one, and like it a lot, though I have yet to see flowers -- this one is supposedly very variable from seed, and I can't wait for some named cultivars with different plant/flower habits to show up.

    Jim

  • Ron_B
    18 years ago

    One I have seen offered simply as the species is a shrubby form that flowers in a small size.

  • Sanchi
    18 years ago

    Will this one do okay in IL? and where can I order it from? Any suggestions. Thanks

  • Clare_CA
    18 years ago

    Sanchi, I believe that it is only hardy to Zone 8, possibly Zone 7, but you can always grow it in a container and bring it inside for the winter. Try doing an Internet Search for "Michelia maudiae nursery" to come up with a seller. It looks like Cistus Nursery has it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of Michelia maudiae

  • snasxs
    16 years ago

    How interesting.

  • bwmason
    16 years ago

    JimShy, Piroche Plants who import Michelia Maudaie to Canada also offer Michelia Yunnanensis and they and the Sunset Gardne Book list them as a separate species. My tree is now as tall as my two story house and I bought another for my back yard. The thing that has surprised my the most is that it has grown very fast for a Michelia which in my area and experience have been very slow (my figo of the same age is only 2 feet tall!).

    Cloob, Michelia doltsopa is not considered hardy in my zone but if I saw one for a reasonable price in my area I would probably try it out.

    I also have a Michelia cavalieri which has proven very hardy the last two years (we had a real bad winter last year); however it has yet to bloom.

    I also tried two alba last year which has a scent far superior to almost anything I have every had. Alas they both perished (one outdoors as an experiment, one indoors) and I will not replace as they were very expensive.

  • longriver
    16 years ago

    bwmason: I also have M.yunnanensis. But I am not sure about Muadaie. Hope there is a picture to show us. does the flower resemble peony form? I was at Yunnan Botanical Garden at Kunming two years ago. I saw an area filled with different M species.

  • longriver
    16 years ago

    I just saw the picture posted by Clare. I am at east side of hills from Berkeley. I should have a chance to find this plant in nursery. As I guess, the flower has many petals.

  • littlem_2007
    16 years ago

    hello, all, sounds very interesting; especially that it grows North Vancouver so maybe it will be OK here too. do you know if the roots are invasive? can it be planted against the house without the roots causing problems? thanks.

    sue

  • charlottelily
    16 years ago

    Bmason - greetings from New Westminster! I've had my maudiae for 4 yrs and it's my favourite plant (although I'm mad about my new southern magnolia too). I was a bit worried this past winter when the leaves were encased in ice, but they thawed out nicely. One other thing I've noticed is how long-lasting the individual flowers are - they seem to stay on the branches forever. I've had neighbours walking in the back lane ask about the scent.

    I only wish I had more room in my garden for more michelias & magnolias...

    Pics from this spring:
    {{gwi:792148}}
    {{gwi:792150}}

  • cweathersby
    16 years ago

    The m. yunnanensis that I have has much much smaller leaves than m. maudiae. My maudiae hasn't grown at all in 2 years, but I've seen a mature one and it also had those big leaves. My yunnanensis hasn't grown, or bloomed, but they are 2 totally different looking plants. The mature maudiae I saw was in a shade garden surrounded by pine trees, so that's where I put mine, but does anyone know if there is any such thing as too much shade for this plant? Maybe that is why it hasn't grown? The yunnanensis hasn't grown but I think it's because it hasn't had time to settle in the ground yet.
    Thanks,
    Carrie

  • charlottelily
    16 years ago

    My tree is in full sun. Most sources I've seen recommend full sun.

  • cweathersby
    16 years ago

    Thanks, Charlotte. I think I'll pot it up, put it in the greenhouse for the winter, and try growing it in more sun. It's in so much shade that I think it only gets filtered morning sun.

  • ashton_2007
    16 years ago

    I've phoned and emailed Piroche, but they insist they will only sell to wholesalers, which I am not. I'd love to get my hands on a M. maudiae. How do you guys in Vancouver manage to get them to sell to you? BTW, I live in Ontario. Is there a source for seeds anywhere?

  • yellowthumb
    16 years ago

    Try to contact plantsofperfection.com, the owner is very nice and helpful. She has it for sure and a very good price too. I got mine from her.

  • bwmason
    16 years ago

    ashton, unfortunately I think Ontario is too cold for this plant as an outdoor specimen and I have had no luck with any Michelia as an indoor plant (my last 6' M. alba packed it in a year ago). I will try and send in a photo on this post in the spring when it flowers again, it is now up to my two story house eaves (in ~six years, which is awfully fast in my experience for any Michelia - maybe I just got lucky).

    yellowthumb, do yo have yours outside in 5a?

    Morning sun with part sun in the afternoon seems to make it happy.

    Piroche has had a really bad time with sudden oak death (as did Monrovia a few years back) and so a lot of their retailers have not brought in product; however they have a clean bill of health now and so hopefully time will bring back retailer trust.

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