10 magnolias with evergreen foliage

Magnolia grandiflora 'Alta': large white flowers with a lemon scent

With its thick glossy green leaves and large white flowers scented with lemon, Magnolia grandiflora ‘Alta’ adorns your garden with majesty. Tulip-shaped flowers appear from June to September, reaching 15 to 25 cm in diameter. Made of thick pure-white petals, they bear at their centre a cone of yellow stamens. Each flower lasts only one day but flowering is continuous. In autumn flowers give way to a decorative cone-shaped fruit studded with red seeds. Leaves, also thick and evergreen, measure 15 to 20 cm long and are bronze-coloured on the underside. To benefit from its narrow, conical habit, which reaches up to 7 m, and its beautiful flowering, plant Magnolia grandiflora ‘Alta’ preferably in a secluded spot in the garden.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Alta’

Magnolia grandiflora 'Galissonière': a scent of orange flowers

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Galissonière’ is among the most widely cultivated magnolias today. It also bears large, very fragrant, tulip-shaped white flowers 15 cm in diameter and lush evergreen leaves with a reddish, downy underside. It has a rounded habit and can reach a height of 10 m. It flowers from June to September and its flowers exude a scent of orange blossom.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Galissonière’

Magnolia grandiflora 'Treyve': very frost-hardy

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Treyve’ shows great cold hardiness, being hardy to below −15 °C. With its pyramidal habit, large white flowers exceeding 20 cm in diameter and glossy evergreen leaves with a russet-brown underside and undulating margins, it reaches a height of 10 m at maturity and is ideal for small gardens. It flowers from June to August, its flowers exuding a lemon fragrance. It thrives in the Nantes region and on the Atlantic coast.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Treyve’

Magnolia grandiflora 'D.d Blanchard': a pleasant shade

Reaching a height of 15 m at ripeness, Magnolia grandiflora ‘D.d Blanchard’ is a handsome tree that provides pleasant shade, with secondary branches set very low. It flowers from June to August, producing white flowers 20 cm in diameter with a lemon-scented fragrance. Its habit forms a splendid pyramid of evergreen, glossy green leaves, giving it a lush appearance. Like other magnolias mentioned, it bears green leaves with decorative reddish-brown undersides and conical red fruits in autumn.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘D.d Blanchard’

Magnolia grandiflora 'Purpan': a very floriferous variety

The Magnolia grandiflora ‘Purpan’ originates from a single specimen planted at Purpan School of Higher Agriculture in Toulouse and is particularly floriferous. Its white flowers, 15 to 25 cm in diameter, appear from June to August and are highly fragrant. It can reach a height of 13.5 metres and has a narrow pyramidal habit. Its evergreen leaves are as large as the flowers, green, glossy, slightly undulating and reddish-brown on the underside.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Purpan’

Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem': ideal for growing in pots

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’, is one of the dwarf species of Magnolia grandiflora, as it reaches only 2.50 m at ripeness. This makes it suitable for planting in a pot to adorn a terrace or in a border, alongside other flowers or bushes in the garden. Its very fragrant white flowers open from June to September, spreading an intense lemon scent amid lush green evergreen leaves.

→ Discover our care sheet: To grow a magnolia in a pot

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’ © KM

Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris': a dwarf variety with a powerful lemon fragrance

Another dwarf species of Magnolia grandiflora, the Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kays Parris’ reaches a height of 4 m and can also be grown in a pot on a terrace. It charms with its large white flowers 12–13 cm in diameter, which bloom from June to September, and its powerful lemon scent. Its evergreen foliage is not to be outdone, with a lovely rust-velvet hue on the underside.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kays Parris’

Magnolia 'White Caviar': a banana-scented dwarf variety

Notable for its cream-white flowers with pink stamens and a banana fragrance, the Magnolia ‘White Caviar’ is the result of a hybridization between bushes native to China and belongs to the genus Michelia. It is also a dwarf variety as it only reaches 3 m at ripeness. It is therefore suitable for growing in a pot on a terrace as well as for planting in a garden. From May to August it produces flowers 4 to 6 cm in diameter, amid glossy green evergreen leaves with paler undersides. It tolerates down to −10°C and prefers mild climates.

Magnolia ‘White Caviar’

Magnolia 'Fairy Blush': irresistible

If you’re tempted by a magnolia with pink flowers, Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’, also called Magnolia Michelia, should win you over. This very floriferous and rare young plant, resulting from hybridization involving Michelia, is a new New Zealand introduction. Flowering occurs from March to May. Flowers measure 6 cm in diameter and give off a light lemony scent, amid evergreen, ovate green leaves 8 to 10 cm long. It can reach a height of 0.8 m to 3 m, has a spreading habit and can be planted on a terrace or in a garden.

Magnolia Michelia ‘Fairy Blush’ © Leonora Enking

Magnolia delavayi: collection plant native to China

Another rare plant, Magnolia delavayi is native to China and bears large cream or pale yellow flowers amid grey-green evergreen foliage. It is even considered a collection plant. It flowers from July to September and reaches a height of 12 m at ripeness. It is preferably used alone on a short grass meadow, its roots not tolerating competition.

Magnolia delavayi © Malcolm Manners