Evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers: Discover Michelia!

Michelia 'Fairy Blush'

The Michelia ‘Fairy Blush’ is a New Zealand original creation characterised by spring flowers in pale pink to lilac tones, giving off a pleasant fragrance. Its lush growth and rounded habit add a touch of the exotic to any garden. Similar to Magnolia, it features evergreen, dark green glossy leaves and cup-shaped flowers that emphasise their resemblance. It thrives in full sun or partial shade in light, well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly acidic.

Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’ is the result of a cross-breeding between several Michelia species. It is a bush with a compact habit, able to rise to 1 to 3 metres in height and to spread as wide as it is planted in a tub or in the ground. Its growth is moderate and its mature size remains indeterminate, as horticulturists still have little experience with this variety. Flowering begins in March–April and continues through to June, with an abundance of flowers emerging at every node on the branches, releasing a slightly lemon-scented fragrance. The flowers, velvety and reddish at first, open into broad cups about 10 cm in diameter, with waxy petals pale pink, edged with lilac and bleaching to white as the season progresses, surrounding a centre of prominent stamens.

To showcase Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’, plant it as a specimen or in groups of three, near a path to enjoy its fragrance, or in a large tub on a terrace.

Michelia ‘Fairy Blush’ © Leonora Enking

Michelia 'White Caviar'

Michelia ‘White Caviar’ is a bush with exotic charm that, in late spring and early summer, is cloaked in cream-white flowers with pink stamens, releasing an intoxicating fragrance. This vigorous bush, though frost-sensitive, thrives in mild maritime climates.

‘White Caviar’ is the result of a cross-breeding between Michelia figo and M. laevifolia, native to the high-altitude forests of China. Its dark green, tough, glossy foliage stays evergreen year-round. From May to July, it produces small brown-fawn buds that open into flowers 4–6 cm in diameter, reminiscent of a miniature Magnolia grandiflora bloom, with a fruity scent reminiscent of banana.

‘White Caviar’ has limited hardiness and does not tolerate temperatures below -10°C. To protect it, choose a site sheltered from cold winds from the east and north, which could harm its foliage and flowering. Also avoid direct, scorching sun. This Michelia thrives in rich soil that retains moisture. On calcareous soil, it is liable to develop chlorosis, a sign of deficiency in essential nutrients.

The Michelia ‘White Caviar’ lends itself to use as a specimen plant, in a pot or in a hedge, thanks to its dense habit. Its unique character makes it ideal for showcasing among other exotic plants such as the Fatsia polycarpa and the Fuchsia regia.

Michelia yunnanensis 'Gail's Favourite'

The Michelia yunnanensis ‘Gail’s Favourite’ is a bush of modest size and slow growth, making it an ideal choice for small gardens or for growing in a large pot on a balcony or terrace. With an erect, compact and dense habit, it features evergreen, glossy and dark-green foliage.

Originating from China, the Michelia yunnanensis ‘Gail’s Favourite’, also known as Michelia laevifolia ‘Gail’s Favourite’, has oval, rounded leaves, glossy and leathery in dark green, the undersides being velvety brown. Adapted to a temperate climate, it reaches a height of 2 to 2.5 metres with a spread of 1 to 2 metres. Its branches bear velvety camel-coloured buds from April to May, which unfold into magnificent cream-coloured corollas, centred by pale yellow stamens, and emit a pleasant lemon scent. The flowering is followed by fruiting in the form of pink pods that open to reveal vivid purple seeds.

The Michelia yunnanensis ‘Gail’s Favourite’ can be planted as a specimen on a lawn, integrated into a group of bushes, or used as a backdrop in a border. For a dazzling visual effect, pair it with plants bearing white and yellow flowers such as a Rhododendron or Chinese Azalea.

Michelia 'Fairy White'

The Michelia ‘Fairy White’ is an evergreen shrub that begins flowering in late winter. Its large immaculate white flowers give off an enchanting fragrance and open onto glossy foliage and a dense habit, maintaining a neat appearance all year round. Although it has moderate hardiness, it is often grown in a pot in cold regions where it can be sheltered in a cold-house during winter, or planted in the ground in milder climates.

The Magnolia ‘Fairy White’ originates from a series of hybrids developed in New Zealand. This variety is particularly notable for its bushy, compact habit, early flowering even on young plants, improved hardiness and foliage that remains lush even after flowering. It reaches a height of 3 metres and a spread of 2 metres in the ground. The flowers, which appear from March to May, emerge from brown velvety buds arranged in pairs at each node on the branches, opening to magnolia flowers at least 10 cm across, with narrow, waxy petals and a crown of protruding stamens around a pale-yellow granulose pistil.

Michelia x foggii 'Allspice'

The Michelia (x) foggii ‘Allspice’, From a young age, it bears beautiful cream-white, highly fragrant flowers that appear from spring to summer. With a hardiness down to -7°C, it is particularly suited to mild, humid temperate climates. Its moderate habit makes it ideal for cultivation in a large pot, allowing it to be grown in cooler regions.

Michelia 'Fairy Lime'

The Michelia ‘Fairy Lime’ stands out for its creamy-yellow, fragrant flowers that emerge in spring, the tips of which are delicately tinged with pink. This bush has a degree of frost tolerance, being hardy to -8°C.

From April to May, ‘Fairy Lime’ produces elongated brown-tawny flower buds that open to reveal flowers about 4–6 cm in diameter. These flowers reveal reddish stamens and waxy petals tinged with a pink hue at their tips.

Last cultivar in the Fairy series of this selection, avec a height potential of 2.50 metres and a spread of 1.50 to 2 metres after ten years, Michelia ‘Fairy Lime’ is ideally grown as a standalone specimen or can be incorporated into an exotic setting alongside plants such as acanthus. It also pairs well with ferns such as Athyrium otophorum var. okanum or Woodwardia fimbriata.

For gardeners in cold regions, it is advised to grow it in a large pot, which will limit its growth while preserving its tropical beauty. Be sure to protect this bush from cold winds and direct sun which could compromise its flowering and burn its foliage, and ensure the soil remains cool and not calcareous to prevent yellowing of the leaves.

Michelia dianica 'Summer Snowflake'

The Michelia dianica ‘Summer Snowflake‘ is a remarkable bush from western China, known for its abundant flowering of large white fragrant flowers. This bush, formerly classified as Michelia yunnanensis, is distinguished by flowers larger and more fragrant than those of the type species, emerging from large pink buds from May to July. With its compact, bushy habit, it is perfectly suited to small spaces.

‘Summer Snowflake’ shares with evergreen magnolias fresh, glossy green foliage and star-shaped, cup-shaped blooms. The shrub reaches a height of 3 metres and a width of 2.5 metres at full maturity in open ground, while retaining more modest dimensions when grown in a pot. The flower buds, appearing from autumn, give rise in spring to white flowers about 7 cm in diameter, with pale-yellow stamens and a greenish pistil, emitting a lemon fragrance.

The flowers of ‘Summer Snowflake’ are followed by clusters of fruit, each containing a seed encased in red pulp, after pollination by small beetles. To showcase this Michelia, plant it in a border bed, or in a loose hedge with viburnums and privets, or even as a clipped hedge along the coast.