Magnolia

Plant Image Data Base

Magnolia stellata

Star Magnolia

Form
- large shrub or small, multi-trunked, ornamental tree
- maturing slowly to 15' tall by 15' wide
- upright oval growth habit in youth, becoming spreading with age, having mounded branching
- slow growth rate
Culture
- full sun to partial shade
- performs best in full sun to partial shade in moist, acidic, deep soils but is quite adaptable to a wide range of soils, soil pHs, pollution, and even wet soils
- propagated primarily by rooted stem cuttings, but occasionally grafted or germinated from seeds
- Magnolia Family, with virtually no disease or pest problems
Foliage
- medium to dark green, deciduous, to 4" long
- fall color is green to chartreuse in November
Flowers
- Winter floral buds are prominent and fuzzy, giving rise to showy flowers that have narrow petals and sepals that are white (sometimes light pink or rose) and slightly fragrant, and emerge in April before the foliage
- may sporadically have a very few flowers open anytime from late Summer to late Autumn, but this does not affect Spring flowering
Function
- foundation, specimen, entranceway, or Spring accent large shrub or small tree
Assets
- outstanding floral display in a frost-free early April, with flowers slightly fragrant
- flowers at a young age
- fuzzy Winter terminal buds
- subtlety ornamental smooth gray bark (if limbed up into tree form)
- can be utilized as a deciduous privacy screen near foundations due to its dense Summer foliage
Purpose
- Star Magnolia is a slow-growing, multi-trunked shrub or small tree with white or light pink Spring flowers that arise from pubescent Winter floral buds.
Summary
- Magnolia stellata is an upright large shrub or small tree with layered sympodial branches that create a mounding effect with age, and white showy Spring flowers that emerge before the foliage, but are frequently browned by frosts.
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