Magnolia figo
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Michelia figo
- Phonetic Spelling
- mag-NOL-ee-ah FIH-go
- Description
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This lovely evergreen shrub in the Magnolia family grows up to 15' tall and is upright oval to rounded. This plant blooms in mid to late spring and has fragrant flowers that smell like ripe cantaloupe or banana. Some cultivars have up to 4" flowers. This plant must be planted in a protected location. It tolerates full sun (turns yellow-green in winter), and prefers well-drained, fertile, acidic, sandy loam in organic matter and sitting in partial shade. It grows in USDA zones 7-10, but does best in zones 8-10. This plant can be severely pruned and is slightly salt tolerant. This plant has no significant pest or disease problems.
Quick ID Hints:
- Brown pubescence under leaves and on buds
- Cup-shaped, ivory flower smells like ripe bananas
- Evergreen shrub with magnolia-like leaves
- Axillary flower buds at 30 degrees to stem
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Coco'
- 'Port Wine'
- 'Coco'
- 'Coco', 'Port Wine'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Coco'
- 'Port Wine'
- 'Coco'
- 'Coco', 'Port Wine'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Magnolia
- Species:
- figo
- Family:
- Magnoliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South East China and Korea
- Distribution:
- SE USA
- Wildlife Value:
- Deer resistant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Mounding
- Oval
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- 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
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are cream colored and tinged with purple or green or yellow. They are fragrant, cupulate, axillary, up to 1 1/2" in size, and have erect tepals (6-9). Buds emerge at a 30 degree angle to the stem. They bloom in the late spring and are covered in rusty brown pubescence.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Waxy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, simple, oval to obovate to oblanceolate, acute, cuneate, entire, and brown pubescent below. The leaves have a lustrous dark green color and become yellowish green in the winter. They grow between 1.5-4" long.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Pith (Split Longitudinally):
- Chambered
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are green, pubescent, and turn gray/brown and glabrous. Pith is white and chambered.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Pool/Hardscape
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
