Magnolia officinalis var. biloba

The Magnolia officinalis var. biloba is a spectacular ornamental bush, with an exotic charm. First, we admire its immense leaves assembled in rosettes, before witnessing the blooming of the flowers, after 8 to 10 years of cultivation. But the sight of its large cream-colored goblets, whose sweet fragrance fills the air in late spring, deserves all the patience of the gardener. Although not widely planted in Western gardens, it is no more difficult to grow than a large rhododendron. More cold-resistant, it simply requires a deep and loose soil, remaining moist and neutral to acidic.

Within the magnolia family, the Magnolia officinalis is one of the most beautiful species. It is a robust bush with an elegant habit, deciduous, perfectly hardy, often many-stemmed, developing a regular and lightly branched crown, generally conical, rounding with age. The biloba subspecies differs only in the shape of its leaves, which have two lobes at their truncate end. Native to China, it is highly appreciated there for its medicinal properties.

In our gardens, the Magnolia officinalis var. biloba generally reaches a height of 8-10 m (26-33ft) with a spread of 5-6 m. Its growth is quite fast once well established. Its bark is brown to ashy gray, thick and wrinkled, but does not crack with age. It becomes scaly at the base of the trunk on mature subjects. The young branches are covered with short, soft hairs. In spring, the large buds open into immense leaves, wide obovate, measuring up to 50 cm (20 in) in length and 25 cm (10 in) in width. The upper surface of the leaf is a tender green with a satin finish, strongly veined. The leaves are arranged in whorls at the ends of the branches. Flowering takes place from May to June, depending on the climate, in the form of cream-white flowers sometimes reaching 20 cm (8in) in diameter. They are composed of 9 to 12 cream-colored petals. The base of the stamens is tinged with red. The flowers exhale a pronounced and pleasant, fruity scent, typical of magnolia flowers. They give way to red-pink fruits, gathered in decorative cones measuring 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) in length. They also contain red seeds. Before falling, the foliage takes on beautiful brick-brown hues.

This Magnolia, magnificent in foliage and flowers, will work wonders in both a medium-sized garden and a large park! It is most often used as a solitary plant in the middle of a short grass meadow or towering over a lower shrub border. It pairs well with the flamboyant flowers of rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas that appreciate the same environments. Beautiful trees like Henry's Lime (Tilia henryana) will accompany it during its flowering. The Caramel Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) or the Persian Parrotia (Parrotia persica) will enhance its foliage with magnificent autumn colors.