Magnolia George Henry Kern

Magnolia 'George Henry Kern', named after its American breeder, is an old hybrid variety still appreciated for its long spring flowering and excellent hardiness. Compact and highly floriferous, it offers an unforgettable spectacle in spring, and sometimes blooms again in summer. From April to June, beautiful deep pink buds appear on the branches, opening into large upright cups, with a paler pink-mauve centre. Its moderate growth allows it to fit into a smaller garden, where it can be given a prime location. It can also be grown in a large container.

Magnolia 'George Henry Kern' is a cross between M. stellata, a small Japanese magnolia that produces star-shaped flowers in early winter, and M. liliiflora 'Nigra', of Chinese origin, which offers a long and later flowering period with rose-purple, narrow flowers reminiscent of lilies. All these plants belong to the Magnoliaceae family. 'George Henry Kern' forms a ramified, round and spreading small tree, taller than it is wide, reaching a height of 4 m (13.1 ft) and a width of 3 m (9.8 ft) at maturity, with a fairly slow growth rate. Its deciduous foliage consists of obovate, dark green leaves with a paler and finely villous underside, turning yellow-brown in autumn, and measuring 10 cm to 15 cm (3.9 in to 5.9 in) in length. From April to June, as the leaves develop, large solitary tulip-shaped flowers bloom, sometimes sporadically reblooming in moist summer soil. Deep pink on the outside, they open to reveal a lighter pink interior. These flowers emerge from buds protected by silky bracts, and are composed of 8 waxy and thick tepals (undifferentiated sepals and petals), gradually opening into a star shape around a yellow stamen centre.

This Magnolia, the ultimate ornamental tree, will be magnificent both in a smaller garden and in a large park, or in a large container on a terrace. It is most often used as a solitary specimen in the middle of a short grass meadow, where its remarkable flowering is truly striking. It can also be advantageously planted with other interesting shrubs that bloom at different times of the year, such as a small maple, a rose, Hibiscus syriacus, Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis', or Cornus kousa 'Satomi'. It also pairs well with acid-loving plants (Rhododendrons, Camellias, Hydrangeas, Pieris, Witch Hazels) for a Japanese-style garden. It is also possible to create beautiful flowering hedges along pathways by alternating this Magnolia with other cultivars. As its root system is not harmful to foundations, it can be safely planted against a house wall.