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Saucer Magnolia Wikimedia Commons
Magnoliaceae

Saucer Magnolia

Magnolia × soulangeana

Nobility, perseverance, love of nature.

Family
Magnoliaceae
Genus
Magnolia
Native to
Garden hybrid (parents from China)
Bloom season
Early Spring
Type
Deciduous tree
Height
6–9 m
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Rich, slightly acidic, well-drained
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
4–9
Lifespan
Long-lived; trees over 100 years

Did you know

  • Saucer magnolia was first hybridized in 1820 by Étienne Soulange-Bodin, a French cavalry officer who turned to horticulture after Napoleon's defeat.
  • The huge cup-and-saucer shaped flowers can be 6 inches (15 cm) across, with creamy interiors and rosy-pink exteriors.
  • Like other magnolias, the flowers are pollinated mostly by beetles — and the petals are unusually thick and tough so they survive being trampled by clumsy beetle feet.
  • Late frosts are a saucer magnolia's worst enemy — a single freeze can turn an entire tree of buds into brown mush overnight.
  • It's one of the most planted ornamental trees in the world, valued for the spectacular two-week show that signals true spring has arrived.

Color meanings

Pink

Romantic devotion

Uses

  • Specimen trees
  • Lawn trees
  • Spring gardens
  • Avenue plantings