Dwarf Bigleaf Magnolia Magnolia ashei
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Magnolia macrophylla ssp. ashei
- Magnolia macrophylla var. ashei
- Phonetic Spelling
- mag-NO-lee-a ASH-ee-eye
- Description
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Ashe Magnolia is a large shrub or small understory deciduous tree with very large leaves and attractive white flowers. It grows to a height of 10 to 15 feet and a width of 8 to 10 feet. The flowers are large, white, and fragrant appearing in the spring. It gives a tropical feel to any garden, and because it blooms later in the spring than other magnolias, the flowers are rarely damaged by frost. Plant it in the full sun to partial shade, in moist, well-drained, rich, acidic soil. It makes an excellent understory tree.
You can propagate this plant by collecting seeds that have dried on the plant and sowing them in a moist potting medium. They may need stratification to germinate.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Magnolia leaf miners (yellow poplar weevil) are an insect pest. Large leaves can be damaged by wind. The large leaves can be high maintenance in the fall and the branches are weak.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Magnolia
- Species:
- ashei
- Family:
- Magnoliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- endemic to northern Florida.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Fleshy seed bearing cone 2"-4" long and 2" wide. Red seeds are attached by threads to the cones.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- > 6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Up to 10" solitary creamy white cup-shaped fragrant flowers with purple at the base appear at the end of stout stems. They have 6-8 petals that are 6" long and pointed at the tip. Flowers appear from late spring to early summer.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Apple green leaves are very large 18"-32" long and tropical looking. The shape is like a violin wider at the tip than toward the base.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Design Feature:
- Small Tree
- Understory Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Humidity
- Problems:
- Weak Wood
