Magnolia Galaxy grafted

NEW Zone 5

A deciduous, medium-sized magnolia with a regular habit and generous, early and prolonged spring flowering. At the beginning of spring, its flowers bloom, reminiscent of narrow tulips, deep pink in color, opening into semi-double stars on a light pink interior, with a light fragrance. It grows quickly in fertile and fresh soil, not too compact, neutral to acidic.

Description

The Magnolia 'Galaxy' is an interesting American variety for its very regular habit, its rapid growth, and its marvelous flowering, at the same time early, abundant, prolonged and original. From the end of winter, before the leaves appear, its branches are covered with erect flowers which resemble narrow, very bright pink tulips. They open gracefully, in semi-double stars on a pale pink interior, and are lightly scented. They hatch in abundance in March-April, before the leaves. This variety ages beautifully and forms prestigious subjects when planted in a row. Give it cool, neutral to acidic soil and a sunny to partial shade position.

This Magnolia, belonging to the Magnoliaceae family, is a horticultural variety resulting from the crossing between the Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra', with lily-shaped flowers, and the superb Magnolia spengeri var. Diva'. A small tree with a very regular ovoid crown, it measures at maturity, after around ten years, around 7 meters high, with a width of 5 meters. Young subjects are narrower and develop an arrow. In March-April, there appear in abundance, on its bare branches, large solitary and slightly fragrant, erect flowers, 11 cm high, whose curve is reminiscent of that of tulips with lily flowers. These flowers open widely, displaying 10 to 16 pointed petals of a thick, waxy texture. They hatch from buds protected by silky bracts. The heart of each flower is occupied by numerous yellow stamens and a large greenish pistil. It is not uncommon for this magnolia to flower again, more sporadically, throughout the summer, until September. Its deciduous foliage is made up of large obovate leaves, 20 cm long and 10 cm wide, of a medium green, with a paler and finely hairy underside, turning yellow-brown in the fall before falling.  

This Magnolia Galaxy, an ornamental tree par excellence, will work wonders in a large garden, where it will quickly become the star of spring. It is most often used as an isolated subject in the middle of a lawn, where its remarkable flowering is of the most beautiful effect. It will also be integrated into a mass of heather shrubs with staggered flowering (large Rhododendrons, Camellias, Hydrangeas, Hamamelis, Pieris, Anemone Tree, Fothergilla, etc.), for a Japanese-style garden. It is also possible to create large flowering hedges when space is available, by alternating this Magnolia with other cultivars (Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, stellata, brooklyniensis, etc.). 

Magnolias are ancient trees with fossils dating back more than 20 million years. Their magnificent flowering is considered one of the most primitive: their flowers are close, from an evolutionary point of view, to the first existing flowers.
The bark of magnolia trees has medicinal properties and is used in cosmetics.
Their wood is considered precious.

Its name Magnolia was given to it in 1703 by Charles Plumier, botanist to King Louis from the 17th century. Its specific name soulangeana comes from Etienne Soulange-Bodin (1774-1846), a retired cavalry officer in Napoleon's army, who devoted himself to horticulture. In his castle of Fromont, near Paris, he became passionate about Magnolias, and in 1829 obtained this hybrid, today the origin of a magnificent line of cultivars!