Magnolia acuminata Daphne

The Magnolia Daphne is an exceptional hybrid with intensely yellow, long-lasting, highly fragrant flowers. A small deciduous tree, still rare, resulting from a cross with Magnolia acuminata, it blooms abundantly in early spring, before the leaves appear, so as not to overshadow the flowers. Its slow growth and moderate development make it suitable for a small-sized garden, where it will quickly become the highlight of spring. Unforgettable, like all magnolias in flower, this one is a treasure for the garden. Plant it in a climate that is not too harsh, ordinary but moist soil, and a sunny to semi-shaded position.

This yellow-flowered Magnolia, a member of the Magnoliaceae family, is a third-generation Belgian cultivar, resulting from a cross between Magnolia acuminata var. subcordata 'Miss Honeybee' and Magnolia Gold Crown. It has inherited yellow flowers (which have become more intense), as well as good tolerance of a slight alkalinity from both its parents. The exact hardiness of this magnolia is not yet well established, but it seems perfectly hardy down -12°C (10.4 °F). A branching tree with an upright shape, taller than wide, at maturity it will be about 4 m (13 ft) high, with a spread of 2 m (6.5ft) and after 10 years 2m (6.5ft) high. Its slow growth will keep it at even more modest dimensions for a long time. It often has an airy habit, growing on a single trunk. The base of its leaves is contracted, and their rounded tip is briefly acuminate. Its deciduous foliage consists of obovate, medium green leaves, paler and finely-haired on the underside, turning yellow-brown in autumn, and measuring 10 to 15 cm (3.9 - 5.9 in) long. In April-May, before the leaves appear, large, solitary, erect, fragrant flowers with large, bright yellow petals appear at the end of the branches. These flowers open from buds protected by silky bracts and are formed by 14 thick, waxy tepals (indistinguishable sepals and petals), opening widely and measuring up to 15 cm (5.9 in) in diameter, with numerous yellow stamens. Its bark is aromatic when young.

This Magnolia Daphne, the ultimate ornamental tree, will look as wonderful in a small-sized garden as a vast park. It is most often used as a free-standing specimen in the middle of a lawn, where its remarkable spring flowers are most effective. But once flowering is over, the small tree becomes discreet again. To follow on from it, you can also consider other shrubs such as mock oranges, lilacs, beauty bushes, roses, and many others. The Magnolia Daphne can also be used in a border of ericaceous shrubs (Rhododendrons, Camellias, Hydrangeas, Pieris, Daphne...), for a Japanese-style garden. You can also create beautiful flowering hedges along paths, alternating this Magnolia with other cultivars (Magnolia grandiflora, stellata, Magnolia denudata...).

A few facts:
Magnolias are ancient trees with fossils dating back more than 20 million years. Their magnificent flowers are considered some of the most primitive: their flowers are very close to the earliest existing flowers in evolutionary terms.
The bark of magnolias has medicinal properties and is used in cosmetics. Their wood is considered precious.

A bit of history:
It was named Magnolia in 1703 by Charles Plumier, botanist to King Louis XIV, paying tribute to the physician-botanist Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), who was one of the directors of the Botanical Garden of Montpellier at the end of the 17th century. Its species name, soulangeana, comes from Etienne Soulange-Bodin (1774-1846), a retired cavalry officer in Napoleon's army, who devoted himself to horticulture. At his château in Fromont, near Paris, he became passionate about Magnolias and bred this hybrid in 1829, which is now the source of a magnificent lineage of cultivars!