Magnolia stellata
Star Magnolia

Description

General: Native to Japan, M. stellata is a small, slow growing, densely rounded tree that will grow 15-20' in height, with a 10-15' spread.

Leaves: Dark green elliptical turning yellowish in the fall. Densely foliated throughout the growing season. Buds are heavily pubescent.

Flowers: White, slightly fragrant flowers 3-4" in diameter. Tepals are 1.5-2" long. One of the first magnolias to bloom in the spring. Average bloom time at Great Hill is April 19-28.

Fruit: Reddish-green, knotty aggregate fruit that matures in autumn.

Bark: Smooth gray bark throughout its life.

Culture

Growing Conditions: Full sun for best flowering, but will withstand partial shade. Will grow best in moist, organic, fertile soil.

Maintenance: Low maintenance with little pruning needed. No major insect or disease problems to report. Spring frosts may damage flower buds and can cause browning of flowers.

Transplanting: Spring dig only. Due to the structure of the roots (i.e. few lateral roots and fine root hairs) magnolias do not take well to transplanting. Regular deep watering should be performed to ensure that the roots do not dry out. Trees may take a few seasons to fully recover from transplanting.

Hardiness
Zone 4 to 8.

Experience at Great Hill:
Overall, we have had good success growing several different cultivars of M. stellata as well as the straight species.

Attributes
A very showy spring flowering tree that maintains a tight compact branching habit throughout its life, Magnolia stellata is a wonderful specimen choice for many landscapes. Can be utilized to fit into tight or narrow spots where other trees or shrubs may out grow the site as well as be utilized as a deciduous privacy screen due to its dense summer foliage.