Magnolia virginiana Glauca

Magnolia virginiana 'Glauca' is a variety of Magnolia with particularly decorative foliage, bright green on top, glaucous to silvery underneath, more or less evergreen to deciduous depending on the severity of the winter. A long summer flowering period with a rather exceptional fragrance is another asset of this small tree: its semi-double, globular cup-shaped flowers, cream-white in colour, small in size for the genus, exhale a wonderful lemony fragrance, and its bright red fruits are decorative. This hardy and limestone-tolerant species is one of the few that can withstand very wet or even waterlogged soils. So many reasons to adopt it if the soil in your garden is heavy and clayey!

Within the Magnolia family, the Magnolia virginiana is the first species to have been scientifically described in 1753, with the criteria of modern botany, it is the representative species of the genus Magnolia. It is native to the southeastern United States, specifically the floodplains and swamps along the Atlantic coast in the southern USA. The 'Glauca' cultivar distinguishes itself with semi-double flowers, and slightly slower growth. It is a medium-sized tree, perfectly hardy, often many-stemmed, developing a broadly conical crown, with a rather dense appearance. In European gardens, it can reach an average height of 3.5 meters (11 feet) by 1.5 meters (5 feet) at the age of 10, and at maturity, 7 meters (23 feet) in height and 4 meters (13 feet) in width. Its branches bear deciduous leaves in cold regions (they generally fall around January), or evergreen in moderate to mild climates. They measure up to 12cm (5in) in length and 5cm (2in) in width, arranged alternately. The upper surface of the leaf is quite dark with a satin finish, while the underside is hairy and of a lighter colour, glaucous with silvery reflections. Flowering takes place from June to September, for about 3 months, intermittently. The flowers appear at the ends of the branches. They are round cup-shaped, cream-white to pale yellow in colour, and measure about 8cm (3in) in diameter. They are composed of 12 to 15 thick petals, with a slightly parchment-like texture. Their fragrance spreads over tens of meters, a mixture of vanilla notes, orange blossom, and lemon. The seed heads, 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in) long, reddish-pink in colour, are composed of fused fruits that open to release black seeds surrounded by bright red pulp. The bark of this tree is smooth, gray in colour, and aromatic: its fragrance resembles that of bay laurel.

This Magnolia, with magnificent foliage and flowers, deserves to be discovered and planted more often in medium-sized gardens or large parks. Its good tolerance to waterlogged soils allows it to thrive in heavy ground, but also near watercourses or ponds. It will naturally be most often used as a solitary subject in the middle of a lawn or towering over a lower shrub bed. It pairs well with the flamboyant flowers of Rhododendrons and tree peonies. Beautiful trees like the Henry's Lime (Tilia henryana) will accompany it in its flowering. To accompany it at the end of the season, the Caramel Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) or the Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica) will enhance its foliage with magnificent autumn colours.