Magnolias

13 years ago

I have a Royal Star Magnolia that has been in my yard for around 18 years. It has been a magnificent preformer.

Two years ago I bought a very stressed 'Jane' magnolia from Home Depot and it struggled in vain during the growing season and just couldn't survive. I took it back to Home Depot early last spring and received another one. It bloomed, did wonderfully well and has big fat buds on it for this coming spring.

If it survives, I would like some suggestions of other magnolias that have been successful for zone 4 gardeners. (I did have a 'Susan' but the year I received it was a bad year for our family and it was ignored, therefore, it only survived two years and croaked, it was the second one I had...the first one I had was hit by weed spray compliments of the neighbor)

I would like to try a yellow one next. But, if there is another color that is more successful, I would like to know.

Comments (4)

giantslug
13 years ago
I have a Magnolia x loebneri "Leonard Messel" that had done very well, tolerating alkaline clay soil and windy weather. It has been in the ground for at least 5 years, and is now about 6 feet tall and wide. It is very fragrant too! Magnolia x loebneri "Merrill" is supposed be another good one for our region.
There are many magnolias at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, if you are able to visit there this spring when they are blooming it is a great time to see which ones do well in this area.
John97
13 years ago
There are lots of great magnolias that do well in the Twin Cities. In addition to afforementioned...few good ones(not exhaustive):

Yellow Flowers: Elizabeth, Butterflies

Purple/Pink: Jane, Susan, Betty, x soulangiana'Alexandrina'

Species: sieboldii, tripetala, acuminata,
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zonepusher_z4
13 years ago
I have Butterflies Magnolia, had a few flowers when I planted it in the spring of 2008 but, no flowers since, it's about 8'h x 6'w. Planted a Jane Magnolia, from HD, the same year & it has bloomed every year. Mail ordered a Susan Magnolia in 2009 but it did not survive it's first winter. Last year I mail ordered a Flamingo Magnolia, was only about a foot high but grew to about two feet, was totally buried by snow until just a few days ago, hoping it has survived our Minnesota winter.
SueRetMastGardZ4
Original Author
13 years ago
I am looking for one with color. I know 'Leonard M' would survive here but decided on a city lot I want to show off the colors that survive in our climate. I live way out in western MN, next door to SD, where the wind never quits blowing, no matter what the season! Right now we are dealing with a flood, the river has risen to about a block from my home *sigh*. I am happy to hear that you had good luck with your "Jane" zonepusher. I will have to research the Flamingo as I have never heard of that one. I have been waffling between an 'Elizabeth' and 'Butterflies' but have read more positives on the 'Butterflies' so my try that one next. I like the "Eight Little Girls" series but some are barely zone 4 or 5, some are definite 4, however, they all seem to be in the pinks.
I live a 15o miles from the arboretum and rarely get there in the spring. This year it is totally out because we have a son getting married, a daughter moving and my husband is recuperating from a broken leg after a fall on the ice the week of Christmas! Imagine that....