Magnolias and relatives - Growing, Propagation, Identification, Appreciation and more! Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:27:09 +0000 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:27:09 +0000 UBC Botanical Garden Forums https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/magnoliaceae.180/ Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:38:00 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/another-magnolia-fruit-id-requested-now-caerhays-belle-mostly-flowers.57086/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/another-magnolia-fruit-id-requested-now-caerhays-belle-mostly-flowers.57086/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler
This tree, on Haro west of Denman, has flowers that I described as being about 8 inches in diameter. It has no fruits now. The flower photos are from 2008; the others are from today.
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Another magnolia fruit - id requested; now 'Caerhays Belle', mostly flowers]]> 6 Sat, 21 Jun 2025 01:19:01 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-stellata-smaller-or-slower-growing-varieties.22574/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-stellata-smaller-or-slower-growing-varieties.22574/ invalid@example.com (eric_r) eric_r
Charles de Mills rose (doesn't suit the area and we may try to move it)
yellow crocosmia
aster polar light
baptisia australis
buddleia (at the back)
hellenium (at the back)
oenothera missourensis
various irises
various coreopsis
japanese anemone (at the back)

Are there any varieties of magnolia stellata...

magnolia stellata: smaller or slower-growing varieties?]]> 11 Wed, 14 May 2025 18:41:37 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-conifer-var-chingii-manglietia-chingii.105177/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-conifer-var-chingii-manglietia-chingii.105177/ invalid@example.com (maggiec) maggiec I've had this tree since 2013, growing in a large pot. Despite the size of the pot, it has not grown a lot, much less flowered. I bought it on a whim due to my magnolia and fragrant plant obsession despite having no more room in my garden, hence the pot. Anyway, I wonder if anyone would be interested in giving this tree a better home in the...

Magnolia conifer var. chingii (manglietia chingii)]]> 2 Mon, 12 May 2025 21:51:15 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-tree-bushier.104481/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-tree-bushier.104481/ invalid@example.com (dangela) dangela Victoria Grand Flora Evergreen Magnolia tree
3-4 years old

Tree was never dense or thick -snow broke off one large branch
and all the branches are long with leaves at end - this i feel makes the tree weaker in wind and snow
i want a bushy dense tree that is more column shaped - i think it was never pruned properly first year

Question
can i prune it now to create more leaves closer to trunk of tree
i want way more leaves on branches ... is there a way ?...

Magnolia Tree bushier]]> 1 Tue, 06 Aug 2024 03:54:53 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/unseasonal-magnolia-blooming.104606/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/unseasonal-magnolia-blooming.104606/ invalid@example.com (Bill) Bill
Is this common and would the odd weather wehad last winter have anything to do with it?

I'm in Vancouver BC]]> 1 Wed, 01 May 2024 01:18:47 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/southern-magnolia-suffering-after-planting.104385/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/southern-magnolia-suffering-after-planting.104385/ invalid@example.com (AGee) AGee
Purchased a Kay Parris Southern Magnolia in ball & burlap a couple weeks ago (they had just arrived at the nursery, presumably from somewhere warmer than here).

All the magnolias that arrived at the nursery had yellowing leaves at the inner base of the tree. So we figured hey it’s just climate shock and springtime leaf drop.

We planted the tree inside a large “bottomless” cedar planter (dug a hole about 18 inches below the ground from the bottom of the planter). For soil we used...

Southern Magnolia Suffering After Planting]]> Fri, 19 Apr 2024 01:29:04 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-chopped-for-science.104336/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-chopped-for-science.104336/ invalid@example.com (Elliot M. Frances) Elliot M. Frances
This is purely for science and learning purposes so everyone just take a deep breath.

I found this nursery stock Black Tulip Magnolia that was significantly leaning, such that it would possibly never make a great permanent tree in the ground. But it has a beautifully thick trunk that I am going to try to bring down further over the next 5 or so years. It was in a 5 gallon nursery pot and it was marked at a significantly low price for this particular...

Magnolia Chopped for Science]]> Sat, 10 Sep 2022 01:26:24 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-stellata-colour-changed-after-45-years.94967/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-stellata-colour-changed-after-45-years.94967/ invalid@example.com (BarberryKay) BarberryKay 5 Fri, 26 Aug 2022 18:21:53 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/can-i-trim-height-of-this-magnolia-by-10-or-more-feet.102724/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/can-i-trim-height-of-this-magnolia-by-10-or-more-feet.102724/ invalid@example.com (Lena Townend) Lena Townend
We inherited this magnolia tree which is far too big for the small yard especially since we are adding on to the house. Can I bring it way down and make it more umbrella shaped? We’d hate to remove it.]]> 4 Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:07:40 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/speed-up-magnolia-growth.101917/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/speed-up-magnolia-growth.101917/ invalid@example.com (Greg Weir) Greg Weir View attachment 222132]]> 1 Tue, 19 Oct 2021 17:55:34 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-alba-cuttings-wanted.101545/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-alba-cuttings-wanted.101545/ invalid@example.com (Andy Gong) Andy Gong Magnolia Alba propagation from cuttings. Could any of you provide branches for me? thanks!]]> 1 Mon, 11 Oct 2021 22:02:20 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/mystery-magnolia-needs-id.101513/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/mystery-magnolia-needs-id.101513/ invalid@example.com (ginsenghamster) ginsenghamster
This Chinese sourced seed came as Magnolia kobus, but after growing a plethora of them from other sources, these seedlings seem different. Any help to id this will be greatly appreciated. The plants are still very young, but appear to have a uniform leaf type. Thank you.]]> 5 Fri, 17 Sep 2021 06:05:15 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/evergreen-magnolia.100268/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/evergreen-magnolia.100268/ invalid@example.com (Nadia White Rock) Nadia White Rock View attachment 204766 View attachment 204767 View attachment 204768]]> 19 Sun, 06 Jun 2021 05:25:26 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-tripetala.100740/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-tripetala.100740/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Magnolia tripetala, in the rhododendron garden in Stanley Park at Ceperley Meadow. Except, I've just seen two old postings in which @Ron B mentioned how malodorous the flowers are of this species. These flowers were right down at nose level, and I didn't notice any smell at all. You can see that there were new flowers, and senescent ones. No smell. Still, I can't imagine this being anything else. I didn't...

Magnolia tripetala]]> Thu, 03 Jun 2021 10:13:08 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-rustica-rubra-seems-to-struggle.100695/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-rustica-rubra-seems-to-struggle.100695/ invalid@example.com (Riverdale27) Riverdale27
I bought a small magnolia bush/tree somewhere in March and put it into a pot with good potting soil and a bit of black peat. It seems to struggle.

Could it be because I didn't use white peat? I think white peat is the sour one... not sure though.

Maybe I burned it a bit by overfertilizing it?

Could even be early frost damage that is now showing up... In any case, I have a magnolia Black Tulip in the front garden (in full ground) and that one is doing perfect. Used another peat...

Magnolia Rustica Rubra seems to struggle]]> 2 Tue, 18 May 2021 06:33:39 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-yellow-lantern.100549/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-yellow-lantern.100549/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler View attachment 209308 View attachment 209309 View attachment 209310 View attachment 209311]]> 1 Mon, 17 May 2021 04:28:09 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-x-proctoriana.100558/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-x-proctoriana.100558/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Magnolia x proctoriana, which World Plants says is a cross between M. stellata and M. salicifolia. This is on the Magnolia Path. Photos are from May 11.
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Magnolia x proctoriana]]> Tue, 04 May 2021 19:44:13 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-bark.100416/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-bark.100416/ invalid@example.com (mdepell) mdepell
Magnolia liliiflora]]> 8 Wed, 28 Apr 2021 05:07:30 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-daybreak-problems.100312/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-daybreak-problems.100312/ invalid@example.com (EmmaBee) EmmaBee See...

Magnolia Daybreak problems]]> 4 Sat, 24 Apr 2021 03:31:51 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/blushing-belle-magnolia.100278/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/blushing-belle-magnolia.100278/ invalid@example.com (pennyandrusty) pennyandrusty 2 Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:35:02 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/saucer-magnolia-root-damage.100203/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/saucer-magnolia-root-damage.100203/ invalid@example.com (Bill Steele) Bill Steele Thanks]]> 1 Sat, 27 Feb 2021 00:30:58 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/does-this-magnolia-need-help.99794/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/does-this-magnolia-need-help.99794/ invalid@example.com (munn01) munn01
Does this Magnolia need help?]]> 4 Fri, 09 Oct 2020 19:50:14 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/please-help-me-save-my-magnolia-tree.99209/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/please-help-me-save-my-magnolia-tree.99209/ invalid@example.com (Hotlot) Hotlot Wed, 26 Aug 2020 19:06:40 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-scale-in-toronto-need-help.98884/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-scale-in-toronto-need-help.98884/ invalid@example.com (wayner) wayner
Magnolia scale in Toronto - need help]]> 5 Mon, 17 Aug 2020 06:13:10 +0000 https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-grandiflora.98313/ https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/magnolia-grandiflora.98313/ invalid@example.com (wcutler) wcutler Magnolia grandiflora have been in bloom for a week now, and this forum could use some photos. These are from two locations in my neighbourhood, both belonging to condo or apartment buildings. I don't know the cultivar names.
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