Magnolia Coral Reef

The Magnolia 'Coral Reef' is a spring-flowering variety, in April and May, on bare branches at first, then accompanied by the emerging light green foliage. It produces large fragrant cup-shaped flowers, pink with a touch of salmon orange, giving it its distinctive coral hue. Its large pointed leaves turn coppery bronze in autumn. It forms a small tree with a pyramidal habit. Hardy, this Magnolia requires an acidic to neutral soil, a bit of moisture at the roots, and a sunny to semi-shady exposure.

The Magnolias make up the most important genus in the relatively unknown Magnoliaceae family, which also includes the Liriodendron (Tulip Tree) and perhaps a few other genera, as botanists do not all agree on the classification of this family of archaic plants, easily recognisable by their flowers with stamens and pistils arranged in a spiral rather than in concentric circles as in more advanced plants, and with petals and sepals that are morphologically similar, so they are referred to as tepals. The name Magnolia was given to it in 1703 by Charles Plumier, botanist to King Louis XIV, in homage 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.

The Magnolia 'Coral Reef' forms a tree with a pyramidal habit, with a spreading crown over time, reaching 5 to 6 m in height and 6 to 7 m in width at maturity. Its flowers first bloom alone, then with the young foliage, in April and May, in large upright tulips, predominantly coral pink in colour. The beautiful smooth green leaves, obovate, appear gradually afterwards. Hardy down to -20°C, it prefers slightly acidic and moist soils, not tolerating drought well. It can tolerate full sun and can also grow in partial shade.

The Magnolia 'Coral Reef' is an elegant small tree with spring interest, its large tulip-like flowers catching the eye. It is very suitable for small gardens due to its modest size. Plant this tree as a focal point in the garden. It can also be paired with a mass of large shrubs with summer or winter interest such as Japanese maples, flowering dogwoods (Cornus), witch hazels (Hamamelis). It also pairs well with acid-loving plants such as Rhododendrons, Camellias, Pieris... Since its root system is not harmful to foundations, it can be planted against the wall of a house.

Magnolias are ancient trees, with fossils dating back over 20 million years. Their magnificent flowering is considered one of the most primitive: their flowers are, from an evolutionary perspective, similar to the earliest existing flowers. The bark of magnolias has medicinal properties and is used in cosmetics, while their wood is considered valuable.