It is Michelia Champaka...
Beautiful tree and flowers..

Wonderful! Wish I could have been there to witness this magnificent specimen. I love pictures, thanks for posting them.

That is indeed Magnolia (formerly Michelia) champaca. Without flowers you might confuse it for M. x alba. Instead there is no scent to the usually pubescent leaves that often aren't as large as M. x alba's scented leaves. Longriver (a GW member) has mentioned before this species can have varying scents as they are often grown from seed, rather than being grafted or rooted from cuttings. It is perhaps the only member of the Magnolia genus to have flowers of orange shades, though in another subgenus, Magnolia acuminata and it's hybrids comes with yellow or green flowers. Color is quite rare among the subgenus Michelia it seems. The only other colored ones I know is the pink form of M. cavalieri, the purple tinged forms and hybrids of M. figo (with M. doltsopa) and M. compressa has some purple at the base of the tepals.

I have a potted M. alba so I recognize a Michelia right away. The flowers confirmed it. The leaves are not as green as mine. The flowers are every bit as fragrant, just of a different variety of fragrance. I heard that M. champaca is more hardy than my M. alba. I'll be looking for one. This tree is in the San Diego Zoo. Thanks for the info.

Ok, I'm going to be making a trip to the San Diego Zoo soon and be on the lookout for it, thanks a lot! :D

It tolerates our full sun in the inland valleys of California slightly better than M. x alba, although it can still get burnt leaves on those very hot days.
Lookout for flowering specimens in the nursery if possible; it can take years even for a 5 gallon to flower when planted in the ground.

Good luck.

Some great photos of a very handsome tree! I wish I can see this tree.

musaboru, you described that Magnolia (Michelia) x alba has scented leaves. I have never seen a M. x alba before and didn't realise that the leaves too are scented. How would you described the scent of the leaves? Is it the same as the flowers?

As for the leaves of M. x alba, I would describe it as somewhere inbetween incense or sandalwood (or Nag Champa). The scent is very light and subtle and not overpowering compared to the incense or sandalwood. I can sense it when I break or crush a leaf or stem. Sometimes a breeze blows by I receive a hint of it.

It's very different from the flower of M. x alba, which is very fruity (and heavenly) like others have mentioned elsewhere.

So all Michelia are known as Magnolia from now on?
Musaboru: do you have any Michelia in ground, pots? What area are you in? Would love to see any photos of your trees.

Thanks,

Newgen,

Yes, all species formerly known as Michelia, Talauma and Manglietia have been reclassified as Magnolia. According to DNA/molecular studies of Michelia (and the other genera listed), there is no longer a valid reason to keep them separate from Magnolia. They are all much more closely related and intertwined than many botanists and horticulturists of the past had ever thought. Personally, I like this change.

Many people will still list both names to avoid confusion (e.g., Magnolia (Michelia) champaca).

Hope this helps,
Corey

Yes, they have been grouped in the genus Magnolia years ago, but it's still common to find Michelia as a genus in use, especially in mail order catalogs. Taxonomically, it's correct to refer to them as Magnolia. But I think we should still use the term 'michelia' (uncapitalized) as a common name for this sub grouping of magnolias.

I grow mines in pots only. When I get home tommorrow I'll post a new picture. I live in Ontario, Calif. Which is somewhere inbetween zone 9b and 10a.

Here's a picture of M. figo and M. x alba when I first got them back in Oct 2008.
{{gwi:557839}}

Ontario is kinda hot and dry like Bakersfield, where I am, so I may learn a few tips from you. The leaves on my M. alba were lush and green and some time during the spring, as summer progressed, several of them became brown and brittle. I always suspect overwater 8-))

The pciture of the tree is Michelia Champaka. It is the same family of Michelia Alba. But the champaka's leaves are more yellowish as to Michelia
alba, their leaves are more green. I live in San Francisco, Ca. I have my 30 years old Michelia Alba tree plant in my backyard, and it is about 30 feets tall. Each year it blooms a lot of very fragrant flowers. Here is the picture of my Michelia Alba tree. Last year I air layered my michelia alba and on July 2012 I found out that it had roots.

Here is my air layered michelia alba that showing roots from the pouch that I air layered on June 2011 and roots came out on July 2012

This is my michelia alba tree about 25 years ago that I transplanted it to my backyard's ground. At that time it was only about 4 to 5 feets. Now it is about 30 feets tall.