Mulan magnolia

Mulan magnolia: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Broad, multi-stemmed shrub about 3 m tall and wide.

Leaves

Large, oval to obovate, 10–18 cm, dark green and deciduous.

Flowers

Slender and tulip-shaped, held upright on the branches, in April–May, often with the young leaves.

Colour

Purplish pink to deep purple outside, white to pale pink inside.

Roots

Fleshy and shallow: they dislike being moved or dug around.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: March–May · Pruning: July

Why grow it?

• Large, eye-catching flowers in spring, on a shrub that stays compact.
• Flowers later than star magnolia and the common saucer magnolia, so it suffers less from night frost.
• Sometimes produces a few extra flowers in summer.
• Bees visit the flowers for pollen.
• The large, dark green leaves make it an attractive shrub after flowering too.

Mulan magnolia: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade, sheltered from cold east and north winds.
• Humus-rich, slightly acid to neutral soil: sand, loam or peat. On chalky soil the leaves turn yellow.
• Moisture-retentive but well drained: it will not tolerate waterlogging.
• Allow 2.5–3 m and choose its permanent position from the start.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or peat

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

3 m tall, 3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Spring bulbs: Daffodils, grape hyacinths and glory-of-the-snow flower at the same time beneath the shrub.
• Hellebore: Flowers before and during the magnolia, in the same humus-rich soil.
• Ferns: Green underplanting after flowering.
• Hosta: Large leaves at its feet in partial shade.

Mulan magnolia: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May.

1. Plant in March–May, as the soil warms up: that is when it roots fastest.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in leaf mould or compost.
3. Handle the root ball carefully: the fleshy roots break easily.
4. Set the shrub at the same depth as it was in the pot, firm lightly and water in well.
5. Mulch with leaf mould or wood chips and water in dry spells during the first year.

Care

Water

Weekly in dry spells in the first year, later in dry summers.

Feeding

A layer of leaf compost in spring is enough. Do not add lime.

Mulching

A mulch every spring keeps the shallow roots cool and moist.

Soil

Do not dig or hoe around the base; keep weeds down with mulch or low ground cover instead.

Tip: Choose its permanent position straight away: magnolias have fleshy roots and dislike being moved. It flowers later than most magnolias and so suffers less from night frost.

Mulan magnolia: when to prune it?

Pruning months: July.

When: Pruning is rarely needed. If something has to go, do it in summer, in July.

How:

• Limit yourself to dead, damaged or awkwardly placed branches.
• Remove a branch completely back to a side branch or the trunk, rather than shortening it.
• Prune a little over several years rather than a lot at once.

Caution: Don’t prune in winter or early spring: the cuts bleed and you remove the flower buds.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Layering

In spring, nick a low branch lightly, pin it into the soil and cover it with soil. Sever it after one or two years and replant.

Summer cuttings

In June–July, semi-ripe cuttings in moist cutting compost under plastic, preferably with bottom heat. They root with difficulty.

Mulan magnolia: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy to about −25 °C: the shrub itself needs no protection.
• A late night frost can turn open flowers brown; the shrub does not suffer from it.
• If frost threatens during flowering, drape horticultural fleece over a small shrub.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in late summer. Water in dry spells and choose an airy spot; it is mainly cosmetic.
• Scale insects: Brown or white scales on the twigs, with sticky honeydew. Rub them off with a soft brush.
• Yellow leaves: On chalky soil the leaves turn yellow between the veins. Work in leaf mould and mulch with leaf compost.
• Brown flowers: Caused by night frost or cold wind. Give it a sheltered spot.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Mulch with leaf mould.
• April: In flower. Cover with fleece if night frost threatens.
• May: End of flowering. Plant.
• June: Water in dry spells. Take summer cuttings.
• July: Prune lightly if needed. Water in dry spells.
• August: Watch out for mildew. Water in dry spells.
• November: Next year’s furry flower buds are already visible. Fallen leaves can stay where they are.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• It is one of the parents of Magnolia × soulangeana, the best-known garden magnolia.
• Magnolias are a very ancient genus that existed before there were bees; they have always been pollinated mainly by beetles.
• The compact varieties ‘Ann’, ‘Betty’ and ‘Susan’ were raised in the United States from a cross between this magnolia and star magnolia.