I have had good success with M. sieboldii. This one I've had in the ground for five seasons now. It came small, so I haven't seen any flowers yet. No winter dmage. But it's now about five foot tall and bushy. This one has striking white flowers with magenta centers in late spring, early summer. There's big one at the Arboretum, out in the open.

I just planted M. x 'Elizabeth.' This has huge, creamy, large-petaled flowers that remind me of the southern magnolia. It flowers heavily in spring. The tree is large, also like a southern magnolia. There's a decent sized one at Funkie Gardens in Prescott. The owner assured me it has never had any winter damage, so I planted a small one myself. It has large leaves and grows fast. I'm encouraged that this one may do well here since one of its parents is the hardy, native cucumber tree, M. acuminata.

I never had any luck with saucer magnolia. My 'Vanessa' died after one winter. My 'Leonard Messel' (in my former house) is now over twenty feet tall and amazingly beautiful. This one I planted small, fifteen years ago.

Certainly, there are no evergreen magnolias that are reliably hardy here. All z4a hardy magnolias put out all their flowers in early spring, before or as the foliage emerges. A few do some sporadic blooming here and there in the summer. The only exception is M. sieboldii, blooming in spring/summer. Hardiness is questionable, but in the right place and with the right genetics (that one is a crapshoot), it can be nice. Mine is blooming after about 8 years from a 18 inch sapling. Very pretty blooms, but not a show stopper like a southern magnolia or any spring blooming mag.

Leonard Messel or Merrill are probably the closest hardy mags you'll find to the southern magnolia.

Rick

Thanks so much! It looks like I have at least some options. I live in Chaska, so I am going to head over to the Arboreteum and check out their stock.

Having a magnolia that ever APPEARS to look like a southern would sure help with my homesickness!

Thanks, again.
-Katie

If you go to the Arboretum between 8-4:30 weekdays, stop in at the library desk. Ask them to map out where particular mags (like Merrill and Leonard Messel) are at the arb. It will not be a hard thing for them to do.

Rick

Not magnolias, but bought a zone 4 rated wisteria. (I'm in zone 3b). It wintered over last winter, I moved it to the new house this spring. It has put out growth from 3-4 feet to about 15-20 ft! Can't believe it. Don't have the name handy, I'm at work. And it only cost $12.95 at the greenhouse. Would love to see flowers some day, but it is doing a great job at screening an ugly area.

While at the arboretum, check out the Magnolia tripetala (Umbrella Magnolia). Very large leaves and tropical looking for Minnesota. I think it is near the sensory garden(?) where there is also a very large Ginkgo.

I grow "loebneri" and 'butterflies' from Klehm's Songsparrow Farm. no winter damage on either in 4 y, and the loebneri has bloomed for 3 y - they bloom young. the butterflies hasn't yet for me, but shows no sign of frost damage.

There are quite a large handful of magnolias that can grow here. Magnolia tripetala are in a couple places at the Arb. Closest to the Sensory garden, and really not very close, is one in the (new) magnolia collection. You can also ask the library staff to point them out on a map (that you can take along with you). The Ginkgo that Ginkgonut is talking about (I think) is a female that is just to the north of the hybrid rose garden, between the garden and the road.

Rick

I probably should have added the disclaimer that my memory for where stuff is at the Arboretum is probably not the best.

There is also a M. tripetala on the Saint Paul campus of the U that is very nice. I got some seeds of it last year and got some germination. Two of the seedlings disappeared from the yard though. The plant has a good number of 'cones' this year.

'Butterflies' is a beautiful plant. Mine is loaded for buds for next year along with red 'cones' from this years blooms.

Didn't mean to be bossy or anything. Sorry if it came over like that. I only live 9 miles from the Arb, and I tend to know it pretty well.

Yet, people are still finding things I never knew was there.

does Butterflies keep a tulip form flower, or is it wide opening, like Merrill for instance?

Rick

They stay more as a tulip, or waterlily, shape until they fall.

That is, they reminded me more or the white waterlilies that grow around here. Also forgot to add that it bloomed at least a week after my neighbors Merrill.

I guess tulip is a better description of the shape. I don't know what I was thinking.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Hello John_w , I wovld like to have your guidance to germinate few magnolia seeds . With this would you like to share few magnolia seeds with me as in India only few magnolia species are available . Regards , Chanchal .

We put in "Anne" 2 years ago. Literally got it for about $5 out of a Cub tent at the end of the season. It was half-fried from being underwatered but we figured it was worth a shot. Well, it loves our yard. It flowered the first spring, and now has doubled in size. It blooms more than once a season and we don't do ANYTHING special to it. No winter protection, no fertilizer...nothing. It's not fragrant and the blooms are deep pink, but it sure is beautiful!