Favorite Yellow Magnolia Trees for Your Garden

Yellow Magnolia Trees, Winter Blooming Magnolias, Spring Blooming Magnolias

Yellow Magnolia, Yellow Magnolias, Winter Blooming Magnolias, Spring Blooming Magnolias

Prized worldwide for the beauty of their exquisite flowers and majestic forms, Magnolias are beloved harbingers of spring, with their parade of showy, fragrant blooms, often on display before they leaf out. Generally recognized for their pure white or pale pink flowers, other colors, such as red, purple, or yellow, have been added.

While yellow-flowered Magnolias used to be a rarity, many hybrid Magnolias (about 60) are now available in various shades of yellow, ranging from soft to bright yellow, to golden-yellow, or even to orange-yellow.

Among these hybrids are Magnolia cultivars that gardeners particularly favor for their spectacular yellow flowers. They can be grown as flowering hedges or specimen plants. Some are ideal for small gardens, thanks to their small stature. They all bring some early sunshine into your garden, a welcoming sight after a long, cold, snowy winter!

Guide Information

Hardiness	4 - 9
Heat Zones	1 - 9
Climate Zones	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type	Shrubs, Trees
Genus	Magnolia
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Early, Mid, Late) Winter
Maintenance	Low
Water Needs	Average
Soil Type	Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH	Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Landscaping Ideas	Beds And Borders, Wall-Side Borders
Garden Styles	City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden

Favorite Yellow-Flowering Magnolias

Hardiness	5 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Mid)
Height	25' - 30' (7.6m - 9.1m)
Spread	10' - 15' (3m - 4.6m)

Hardiness	5 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Early, Mid)
Height	20' - 30' (6.1m - 9.1m)
Spread	12' - 20' (3.7m - 6.1m)

Hardiness	5 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Mid, Late)
Height	20' - 30' (6.1m - 9.1m)
Spread	8' - 12' (240cm - 3.7m)

Hardiness	5 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Early) Winter
Height	30' - 40' (9.1m - 12.2m)
Spread	30' - 40' (9.1m - 12.2m)

Hardiness	4 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Early)
Height	20' - 30' (6.1m - 9.1m)
Spread	15' - 20' (4.6m - 6.1m)

Hardiness	5 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Mid, Late)
Height	20' - 25' (6.1m - 7.6m)
Spread	6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm)

Hardiness	4 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Late)
Height	30' - 40' (9.1m - 12.2m)
Spread	25' - 30' (7.6m - 9.1m)

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Mid, Late)
Height	10' - 15' (3m - 4.6m)
Spread	10' - 15' (3m - 4.6m)

Growing Magnolias

Full sun to part shade lovers, Magnolias are best grown in consistently moist, slightly acidic, organically rich, well-drained soils. Neutral to slightly alkaline soils are also suitable for growth. Magnolias are adaptable to clay, loam or sand soils, but most grow poorly in wet or poorly drained soils. Provide a site sheltered from cold, dry winds as buds and flowers may be damaged by cold winds. Late frosts may damage flower buds too.
May be attacked by capsid bug, snails, horse chestnut scale, coral spot, grey mould, honey fungus.
Spectacular as specimen plant for dramatic spring blooms. Great flowering tree for city gardens or cottage gardens.
Magnolia pruning should be carried out in midsummer when in full leaf
Deciduous Magnolias are best planted when dormant, in late fall or winter in warmer climates and early spring in cold climates. Evergreen magnolias are best planted in early spring. For the first 6 to 12 months after planting, both types will benefit from mulch and regular irrigation during warm or dry weather.
Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer

Discover These Helpful Guides for Further Reading

Pretty Magnolia trees and Shrubs for Small Gardens

Magnolia Tree: How to Grow and Care with Success

Popular Types of Magnolia Shrubs and Trees

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Guides with

Magnolia

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.