Magnolia × loebneri 'Leonard Messel'

RHS Plant Profile
magnolia 'Leonard Messel'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Magnolia × loebneri 'Leonard Messel'?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
magnolia 'Leonard Messel' visionspictures.com
magnolia 'Leonard Messel' visionspictures.com
Award of Garden Merit
Shrubs Trees
Thank you - your purchase supports our charity work Buy this from RHS Plants Shop
Buy online from £24.49Buy this from Plant Nurseries
37 Suppliers

Rounded, deciduous shrub or small tree to about 8m in height, with narrowly mid-green leaves to 12cm in length. Flowers lilac-pink, paler within, scented, to 10cm in width, with about twelve narrow tepals, and opening before the leaves in mid-spring

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
20–50 years
Max Spread
4-8 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral or Alkaline

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Magnoliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Spreading branched
Genus
Magnolia can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, with large, showy, often fragrant flowers, often opening before the leaves, and sometimes followed by colourful cone-like fruit
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained neutral to acid soil in full sun or part shade with shelter from cold winds. Late frosts may damage flower buds. Will grow in moist alkaline soils. Further magnolia cultivation advice

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden

Pruning

Minimal pruning required, see magnolia pruning. Deciduous magnolias should only be pruned between midsummer and early autumn

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects, horse chestnut scale and capsid bug

Diseases

May be susceptible to coral spot, phytophthora, grey moulds, honey fungus, a virus or fungal leaf spot