Magnolia lillifolia 'Nigra'

Black lily magnolia

Location

The Magnolia Garden.

Description:

A spreading, multi-stemmed, large deciduous shrub with glossy elliptic leaves to 20cm in length. Flowers are erect, narrowly tulip-shaped, with oblong, deep purple tepals 12cm in length, paler within, often opening before the leaves, and sometimes followed by colourful cone-like fruit.

Site and Care:

Grow in moist but well-drained neutral to acid soil in sun or partial shade. protected in the Magnolia Garden from wind and alkaline soils (two vulnerabilities of many magnolia forms). Little or no pruning is required unless for shape. Propagation is difficult from seed and is usually from semi-ripe cuttings in summer.