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Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' is often confused with:
Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Camellia sasanqua Camellia sasanqua
Camellia Winter Group
Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis' Planted in a small grouping, Haywood County, NC - Summer
Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' has some common insect problems:
Magnolia Scale
Yellow Poplar Weevil
Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' has some common disease problems:
Sooty Molds

Kay Parris Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris'

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
mag-NOL-ee-ah gran-dih-FLOR-uh
Description

Considered to be one of the very best of the evergreen magnolias, 'Kay Parris' an introduction from Gilberts Nursery Inc., is a relative newcomer. Believed to be a cross between two other fine magnolia varieties, 'Little Gem' and 'Bracken's Brown Beauty', this small tree or multi-stemmed large shrub can stand up to any of its competition as long as it is provided regular watering.  The leaves are a glossy, medium green with wavy leaf margins. Unlike its 'Little Gem' parent, this selection has a deep orange-brown, almost velvet-like underside to its leaves. The extremely fragrant flowers are a bit smaller than the standard Southern magnolia and appear from late May to late September.

'Kay Parris' magnolia should have a specimen spot in any sunny Carolina landscape. With its dense compact habit you can use them as a living screen or potentially sheared into a tall hedge. In areas of the Carolinas where winter ice storms are common, this cultivar has great limb structure and appears to hold up better than 'Little Gem'.  It is drought tolerant once established but in dry hot areas will need some shade.

 

More information on Magnolia grandiflora.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#showy flowers#small tree#fragrant flowers#drought tolerant#white flowers#fast growing#privacy#glossy leaves#large flowers#showstopper#hairy leaves#cutting garden#screening#evergreen tree#sensory garden#compact habit#wet soils tolerant#hedge
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#showy flowers#small tree#fragrant flowers#drought tolerant#white flowers#fast growing#privacy#glossy leaves#large flowers#showstopper#hairy leaves#cutting garden#screening#evergreen tree#sensory garden#compact habit#wet soils tolerant#hedge
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Magnolia
    Species:
    grandiflora
    Family:
    Magnoliaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Dimensions:
    Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Shrub
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Dense
    Erect
    Multi-stemmed
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    6-feet-12 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Good Cut
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    Flowers good for cutting, and have a long continuous bloom season from June-September.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Velvety
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Description:
    Wavy leaf margins. Deep orange-brown, almost velvet-like underside.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Small Space
    Landscape Theme:
    Garden for the Blind
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Hedge
    Screen/Privacy
    Small groups
    Small Tree
    Specimen
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Wet Soil