MAGNOLIA 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN, 



MAGNOLIA. 



does not appear to have been collected 

 since Michaux found it in Georgia. 



M. Campbell!, one of the most gorgeous 

 of Indian forest trees, has not fulfilled the 

 expectations of those who took so much 

 trouble in introducing the species to 

 British gardens. In a wild state it attains 

 a height of 1 50 ft., and the fragrant flowers, 

 varying from deep rose to crimson, come 

 before the leaves. Probably the finest 

 specimen in the British Islands is the 

 one at Lakelands, near Cork, which ten 

 years ago was 35 ft. high. In 1884 it 

 flowered for the first time, and it has also 

 flowered well at Fota in the same district. 

 M. conspicua. In its typical form this 

 has snowy-white flowers, which are borne 

 in the greatest profusion in the latter part 

 of April and beginning of May. Splendid 

 specimens of this beautiful Chinese and 

 Japanese tree are to be seen at Gunners- 

 bury House, Syon House, and Kew. M. 

 Yulan and M. precia are names under 

 which this is found in some books and 

 gardens. Several hybrid forms between 

 this species and M. obovata occur in 

 gardens ; of two of these, M. Lenne and 

 M. Soulangeana nigra, coloured plates 

 have been published in The Garden. M. 

 Soulangeana has flowers similar in shape 

 and size to those of typical M. conspicua, 

 but they are deeply tinged with red ; M. 

 Soulangeana nigra has dark plum-coloured 

 flowers. Both these bloom a week or ten 

 days later than the type. Other seedling 

 forms or slight varieties of the Yulan are 

 M. Alexandrina, M. cyathiformis, M. 

 speciosa, M. spectabilis, M. superba, 

 M. triumphans, and M. Yulan grandis. 



M. Fraseri, a native of the southern 

 United States, is recognised by its green 

 spathulate leaves, measuring about 8 in. to 

 i ft. in length, and about 3 or 4 in. across 

 at the widest part, the flowers, 3 or 4 in. in 

 diameter, are creamy-white in colour, and 

 appear later 

 than those of 

 any other cul- 

 tivated spe- 

 cies. In a 

 wild state the 

 tree attains a 

 height of from 

 30 to 50 ft. 



M. glauca, 

 the Laurel 

 Magnolia or 

 Sweet Bay of 

 the eastern 

 UnitedStates, 



is a delightful sub-evergreen shrub, with 

 leathery leaves, bluish-green above and 

 silvery below. The flowers are globular 



Magnolia glauca. 



in shape, very fragrant, opening of a 

 rich cream colour and gradually acquiring 

 a pale apricot tint with age. ' In a wild 

 state this species occurs in swamps and 

 attains a height of 20 ft. It is hardy and 

 easily grown in Britain in peat soil. 



M. grandiflora, the great Laurel Mag- 

 nolia of the southern United States, is 

 in England best treated as a wall-plant ; 

 under these conditions it thrives well and 

 flowers freely. In order to form some 

 idea of the beauty of this species it is 

 necessary to see it in large symmetrical 

 stately trees in the west of France, 

 where climatic conditions obtain which 

 more nearly approach those of its native 

 habitats. A correspondent in the West 



Magnolia grandiflora. 



of England writes to The Garden as to 

 the culture of this plant : " At one time 

 it was thought necessary to protect the 

 trees with mats during the winter, 

 I but this practice, which necessitated re- 

 stricting the growth considerably, has 

 largely ceased, and the trees in some 

 instances have attained a very great 

 height. For instance, there is one 

 under my charge that is now fully 50 ft. 

 high. The bole of the stem is slightly 

 over a yard in circumference. In some 

 seasons several scores of blooms are 

 borne by this tree, but during the winters 

 of 1891 and 1892 many of the more ex- 

 posed points were badly injured by frosts, 

 and the bloom lessened in quality accord- 

 ingly. A very exposed position is not 

 suitable for this heavy-foliaged tree, and 

 shelter from cold winds is desirable. 

 Where the evergreen Magnolia does best is 

 in the nooks between bay windows or ir- 

 regular fronts of dwelling-houses, but- 



