Magnolia ‘Susan’

Perfect for small gardens, Magnolia ‘Susan’ is a slow-growing deciduous shrub or small tree with fragrant reddish-purple flowers in mid to late spring. Narrow goblet-shaped, the blossoms, up to 5 in. across (12 cm), count 6 slightly twisted tepals, purple-red on the outside and paler inside. While this Magnolia flowers primarily in spring, it may continue to bloom sporadically thereafter where moisture is adequate. The foliage of ovate, medium green leaves turns golden-yellow in fall. This hybrid Magnolia blooms at an early age and makes an elegant, small specimen tree.

‘Susan’ 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, upright habit up to 8-12 ft. tall and wide (2-4 m)
• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Full sun to part shade lover, this plant is best grown in consistently moist, slightly acidic, organically rich, well-drained soils. 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 spot, 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