Magnolia × loebneri 'Leonard Messel'

Location

The Rookery Garden.

Description:

A vigorous medium-sized deciduous shrub or small tree, with narrowly ovate leaves to 12cm in length. Flowers light-pink, paler within, scented, to 10cm in width, with about twelve narrow tepals, and opening before the leaves in spring.

Site and Care:

Notable for ease of cultivation, and its relative tolerance to wind and alkaline soils (two vulnerabilities of many magnolia forms). It will not tolerate shallow chalk soils and here it is grown in much improved soil. Late frosts may damage flower buds. Little or no pruning is required unless for shape and should be carried out in mid-summer. Propagation is difficult from seed and is usually from semi-ripe cuttings in summer.