Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Magnolia 'Athene'
  • RHS AGM

magnolia 'Athene'

Vigorous, deciduous tree to about 6m in height, with broad, mid-green leaves, and producing fragrant, cup-shaped creamy-white flowers to 30cm across, with a dark pink base and some dark pink flushing on the outside of the thick petals, produced in early and mid-spring

Join the RHS

Become an RHS Member today and save 25% on your first year

Join now
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metres
Time to ultimate height
10–20 years
Ultimate spread
4–8 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Pink White Green
Summer Green
Autumn Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Magnoliaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy, 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 and/or flowers. Further magnolia cultivation advice

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings from late spring to early summer or semi-ripe cuttings from late summer to autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Flower borders and beds
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

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.