Magnolia March Till Frost

The Magnolia March Till Frost is a fairly recent creation remarkable for its long flowering period. This extends from March to September, more or less continuously or in successive waves. The flowers have a characteristic tulip shape and are purple on the outside and pale pink on the inside. This bush grows slowly, eventually forming a large bush. Dense from the early years, it is an excellent choice for small gardens. Being hardy, this little gem thrives in sun or partial shade, in neutral to acidic, moist and well-drained soil.

This Magnolia March Till Frost belongs to the small family of Magnoliaceae, which includes only Magnolias and Tulip Trees, and a few other genera according to different botanical classifications. These are very old plants, appearing on Earth tens of millions of years ago. This age largely explains their resilliance, as they have had to adapt to different living conditions over geological ages. There are numerous species of Magnolias as well as natural varieties and cultivars.
March Till Frost is a horticultural hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of different Magnolias: one parent is the result of a cross between M. liliiflora x M. cylindrica, the other being the M. x 'Ruby' (itself a hybrid as indicated by the x before its name). August Kehr, an American breeder passionate about hybridization, a professor of horticulture at university and then head of a department, is the breeder of this variety. From this complex mixture of genes, a gem for the garden was born. As its name suggests, this Magnolia blooms from March until the first frost, emitting, depending on the subjects, flowers more or less continuously from spring to September, or in 3 successive waves: main flowering in March-April (March in warmer areas), then a second bloom in July and finally in August-September.
The flowers have the characteristic tulip shape of many species and are medium-sized (about 8-10 cm (3-4in)). Their colour is a beautiful deep purple on the outer surface and a pale pink on the inner surface. This horticultural variety has slow growth, but the bush is fortunately dense from a young age, which ensures its aesthetic appeal. The flowers mainly appear at the ends of the branches, the more numerous they are, the better the visual effect. It matures into a bush 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft) high, and 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft) wide. The beautiful green leaves are deciduous and fall in autumn.
Its growing requirements are typical for a Magnolia, that is, a neutral to acidic soil (no limestone), moist (it does not like drought) and a sunny to semi-shaded exposure (in warm climates).

This Magnolia March Till Frost, an exceptional ornamental tree, will work wonders in a small garden, enhancing it with its magnificent flowering for most of the growing season. Its repeated flowering allows it to be showcased in a prime location, as a standalone specimen or at the heart of a flowerbed. It can be combined with winter-flowering shrubs to create a year-round display, as well as leafy plants with autumnal colors. Hamamelis combines these two characteristics, with its spider-like yellow, red, orange or purple flowers and flamboyant autumn attire. And the magnificent Autumn Camellias (which also bloom in winter depending on the varieties) will complete the scene.

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 evolutionarily close to the earliest existing flowers. The bark of magnolias has medicinal properties and is used in cosmetics. Their wood is considered precious.