Magnolia liliflora Nigra

The Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' is an old cultivar dating back to 1861, still highly appreciated for its moderate growth, well-suited for small gardens, but also for its brilliant and long spring to summer flowering. This deciduous bush with a dense habit is covered in spring, at the same time as its large leaves emerge, with numerous slightly scented flowers, shaped like tulips with an intense dark purple colour on the outside and pink on the inside. This variety tolerates partial shade and thrives in any moist soil, as long as it is well-drained and low in limestone.

This Magnolia liliiflora Nigra belongs to the magnolia family. It is a darker-flowered form of Magnolia liliiflora, native to eastern and central China. A small tree or large bush with a rounded and bushy shape, well-branched, it reaches a height of about 3 metres (9.8 ft) at maturity, with a similar width, sometimes slightly larger. It has a rather slow growth rate. From April to June, large solitary and slightly scented tulip-like flowers bloom before and simultaneously with the leaves. They are erect, long, narrow, and can reach a height of 12 cm (4.7 in). It is not uncommon to see a few flowers appear during the summer if the soil remains moist. These flowers emerge from buds protected by silky bracts, and are formed by 12 fleshy tepals (indistinguishable sepals and petals), dark purple on the outside and pink on the inside, with a satin finish, opening around numerous long violet stamens. Its deciduous foliage consists of obovate leaves, with a satin medium green colour on the upper side, strongly veined, paler and finely villous on the underside, turning yellow-brown in autumn. They measure 10 to 18 cm (3.9 to 7.1 in) in length.

This Magnolia, an outstanding ornamental tree, is stunning in a small garden, quickly becoming the star of the show in spring. It is most often used as a solitary specimen in the middle of a short grass meadow, where its remarkable flowering has a beautiful effect, but it is important to remember that once the flowering is over, it will somewhat fade into anonymity. It can be beneficial to plant this Magnolia alongside other bushes that thrive in non-limestone soils and have staggered flowering times, such as Rhododendrons, Camellias, Hydrangeas, Witch Hazels, Pieris, Anemone tree, Fothergilla, and Winter sweet. This is particularly useful for creating a Japanese-style garden. Additionally, you can create beautiful flowering hedges along pathways by alternating this Magnolia with other cultivars like Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, stellata, and brooklyniensis.

Properties:
Magnolias are trees that have been around for over 20 million years, with fossils dating back to prehistoric times. Their beautiful flowers are considered one of the most primitive flowers, closely resembling the earliest existing flowers. The bark of magnolias has medicinal properties and is used in cosmetics, while their wood is highly valued.