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Magnolia × soulangeana

saucer magnolia

RHS Plant Shop from £24.99 Sold by 52 nurseries

  • Other common names saucer magnolia
    Chinese magnolia

  • Family Magnoliaceae

  • 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

  • Details M. x soulangeana is a spreading deciduous tree or large shrub to 6m tall, with obovate leaves to 20cm long, and white, pink or purple, goblet-shaped flowers up to 25cm across in spring

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • 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

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect North-facing or West-facing or South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilClay, Loam

  • pHAcid, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 4-8 metres

  • Ultimate spread 4-8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

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. Further magnolia cultivation advice

Propagation Propagate by seed in autumn and spring, by softwood cuttings from late spring to early summer or semi-ripe cuttings from late summer to autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Cottage & Informal Garden City & Courtyard Gardens

How to care

Pruning Magnolia pruning should be carried out in midsummer when in full leaf

Pests May be damaged by scale insects, capsid bug and horse chestnut scale

Diseases May be affected by coral spot, grey moulds, honey fungus, a virus, fungal leaf spot or iron deficiency and lime-induced chlorosis

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RHS Plants Shop

Magnolia × soulangeana

saucer magnolia

Buy from £24.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £24.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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