Magnolia ‘Pinkie’

Perfect for small gardens, Magnolia ‘Pinkie’ is a compact, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with abundant blossoms in mid to late spring. It produces masses of large, cup-shaped flowers, 7-8 in. across (18 cm), with up to 9-12 broad tepals, reddish-purple at their base fading to pale pink at their tips and white on the inside. This hybrid Magnolia blooms a couple of weeks later than most saucer magnolias, late enough to escape most frosts. 

‘Pinkie’ is a cross between Magnolia liliiflora ‘Nigra’ and Magnolia stellata ‘Rosea’. It belongs to the Little Girl series (‘Ann‘, ‘Betty’, ‘Jane’, ‘Judy’, ‘Pinkie‘, ‘Randy’, ‘Ricki’, and ‘Susan‘) of hybrid Magnolias developed at the National Arboretum in the mid-1950s. Since these plants bloom about 2-4 weeks later than Magnolia stellata and Magnolia x soulangeana, they usually escape potential damage to their pretty flowers from late spring frosts.

• Grows with a compact, rounded habit up to 10-15 ft. tall (3-5 m) and 8-12 ft. wide (2-4 m)
• A full sun to part shade lover, this plant is best grown in consistently moist, slightly acidic, organically rich, well-drained soils. Neutral to slightly alkaline soils are also suitable for growth if the soil is moisture retentive. Magnolias are adaptable to clay, loam, or sandy 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 scale insects, coral spots, honey fungus, and phytophthora root rot.
• Spectacular as a 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 spring or early summer, or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and fall