Magnolia salicifolia (Anise Magnolia)

Native to Japan, Magnolia salicifolia, also known as Anise Magnolia or Willow-Leafed Magnolia, is a medium-sized deciduous tree with scented white flowers in early spring. Each blossom, 3-6 in. across (8-15 cm), counts 6 spreading tepals which sometimes display a tinge of pink at their base, adding to the beauty of the bloom. Rich with a lemon or anise fragrance, the blooms appear on naked branches before the leaves unfurl. The leaves and smooth gray bark are equally fragrant when scratched. Emerging coppery-red, the foliage of narrow, oval, willow-like leaves has whitened undersides and turns a nice golden-yellow in fall before shedding to the ground. While very hardy, its blooms, like those of most early blooming Magnolias, are susceptible to late frosts.

Magnolia salicifolia is the parent of many hybrid Magnolias, including the famous Magnolia x kewensis ‘Wada’s Memory’.

• Grows upright and narrow when young but becomes more broadly pyramidal with age. Can reach up to 30-50 ft. tall and wide (9-15 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. 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 capsid bug, snails, horse chestnut scale, coral spot, gray mold, honey fungus.
• 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 seed in autumn and spring, by softwood cuttings from late spring to early summer or semi-ripe cuttings from late summer to fall