A sincere thanks to the gardener who tended his property many years ago and planted two of these beauties. They are ever bit of 30 feet tall, one is pink and one white.
These are Saucer Magnolias (Magnolia x soulangeana). They generally are lower growing but mine two beauties send there limbs high up in to the sky. Early in the spring, in Kentucky it is usually in March, the tree become filled with large buds, that remind me of large pussy willows.
The buds open up to a magnificent display of saucer-shaped flowers. On the White tree, the closed blossoms have a light pink or purplish-pink tinge that burst open into a large white blossom. The Pink tree buds look similar but open into pink blooms.
The tree become full of blooms. Unfortunately March winds play havoc with the blooms and the ground often quickly becomes covered with individual white petals. But even if they only last a few days, they are worth it!
The bark is grayish and smooth, and the limbs are somewhat twisty, although the tree grows in a rounded shape. Since the bark is somewhat tender to lawn mower damage, I maintain a safe green zone under each tree.
This tree is listed as being a medium to fast grower and good for zones 4-9. Both of mine grow in full sun.
This tree is a hybrid cousin of the Southern Magnolia and has been grown since 1826. The fragrant blossoms sure give it's distant relative a run for its money.
I see lots of nests tucked in the limbs, and the seeds are enjoyed by a number of birds. This is a great tree/shrub, on of my favorite rites of passage from winter into spring.
