Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

RHS Plant Profile
evergreen magnolia 'Little Gem'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
evergreen magnolia 'Little Gem' John Fielding
Trees
Thank you - your purchase supports our charity work Buy this from RHS Plants Shop
Buy online from £89.99Buy this from Plant Nurseries
23 Suppliers

'Little Gem' is a compact, small tree of narrowly columnar habit, reaching up to 8m, with glossy oblong leaves up to 12cm long, with a deep brown felt on the underside, and small, white, lightly scented flowers, 10cm across.

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

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

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or East–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)
H4

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Magnoliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Columnar upright
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, well-drained, preferably neutral to acid soil, in sun or part shade. Tolerates dry alkaline soil. magnolia cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings from late summer to early autumn; grafting in winter; chip budding in summer or layering in early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Low Maintenance
  • Hedging and screens
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 9 or pruning group 13 if wall-trained. See magnolia pruning

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