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Magnoliaceae
Star Magnolia
Magnolia stellata
Purity, perseverance, dignity.
- Family
- Magnoliaceae
- Genus
- Magnolia
- Native to
- Japan
- Bloom season
- Early Spring
- Type
- Deciduous shrub or small tree
- Height
- 3–6 m
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Rich, slightly acidic, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Hardiness
- 4–8
- Lifespan
- Long-lived; trees over 100 years
Did you know
- Star magnolias bloom on bare branches before any leaves appear, creating a stunning constellation of white stars against the gray bark of early spring.
- Each flower has 12–18 strap-shaped petals that fan out flat, looking far more like a daisy or starburst than a typical magnolia.
- It's the most cold-hardy of all the showy Asian magnolias and reliably blooms even after harsh winters.
- Magnolias are one of the most ancient flowering plants on Earth — fossils show they existed 95 million years ago, before bees evolved, so they're pollinated mostly by beetles.
- The buds form in late summer for the next year's bloom and stand all winter as silvery, fuzzy buds that look like tiny pussy willows.
Color meanings
White
Pure beginning