Magnolia grandiflora Mainstreet

The Magnolia grandiflora 'Mainstreet' is a cultivar appreciated for its narrow and pyramidal habit, suitable for small gardens or urban gardens. This evergreen tree also offers large fragrant white flowers, appearing from summer to autumn, as well as beautiful dark green glossy foliage with a reddish-brown underside. Resistant to cold down to -18°C, this beautiful magnolia makes a strong impression as a single specimen or in a row along a long driveway.

The Magnolia grandiflora belongs to the Magnoliaceae family. Native to the southeastern United States, the botanical species is naturally found in humid coastal forests. The 'Mainstreet' cultivar was selected for its particularly narrow and compact habit. This magnolia has a very narrow pyramidal habit, almost fastigiate, which tends to slightly round with age. It reaches about 12 to 15 meters in height and 4 to 5 meters in width. Its growth is relatively fast.

Its evergreen foliage consists of large ovate leaves, measuring between 12 and 20 cm long. They are dark green and glossy on the top, while the underside is reddish-brown, covered with a soft fuzz. The flowers, wide and open cup-shaped, measure between 15 and 20 cm in diameter. They are creamy white and diffuse a pleasant lemony fragrance. Flowering occurs from early summer to autumn, from June-July to October. This magnolia also produces upright cone-shaped fruits, containing red seeds, which appear after flowering. The trunk, straight and sturdy, is covered with smooth gray bark in the early years, becoming more fissured over time. Magnolia grandiflora 'Mainstreet' tolerates pruning well, allowing control of its development in tighter spaces.

The less bulky Magnolia grandiflora 'Mainstreet' is particularly appreciated in urban or small gardens. It can be planted in a row to border a driveway or path. Its slender habit and moderate growth will be put to good use at the back of a border or as a single specimen in a small garden. Planted against a sunny wall, it offers a magnificent summer flowering display while being protected from cold winds. To accompany it, choose Japanese Camellias with evergreen foliage that bloom in winter. It can also be paired with Cercis canadensis 'Red Force', a small tree with purple foliage and pink flowers in spring, or with Viburnum tinus 'Giganteum', for a touch of greenery throughout the year. The Abelia chinensis will complement this set nicely with its fragrant flowering that renews from summer to early autumn.