Magnolia Spectrum

The Magnolia Spectrum is an American variety that combines qualities; with an upright, elegant habit, flowering from a young age, this small tree is distinguished by its intensely coloured flowering, visible from a distance and extremely decorative in early spring. Its light purple flower buds open into large dark pink tulips, slowly unfolding into a graceful cup with a pearly pink interior, much lighter. 'Spectrum' forms a magnificent specimen in a few years, which should be showcased in the garden. Hardy, it thrives in any non-calcareous, even clayey, moist soil.

This Magnolia Spectrum belongs to the magnolia family. It is a horticultural creation dating back to 1972, a sibling seedling of the 'Galaxy' variety. Its parents are the Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra', with lily-shaped flowers, and the superb M.spengeri var. Diva'. A slender tree with an initially ovoid and regular crown, it widens and rounds with age. At maturity, after about ten years, it measures approximately 6 meters (19 feet 8 inches) in height and 3 meters (9 feet 10 inches) in width. Eventually, it can reach a height of 9 meters (29 feet 6 inches), depending on the growing conditions. Young plants are narrower and develop a central leader. In late March or early April, numerous large solitary flowers appear on its bare branches, standing tall at 11 cm (4.3 in), with a shape reminiscent of tulips. These flowers maintain their graceful shape for several days before fully opening, revealing 10 to 14 pointed, thick-textured petals in a light pink interior and a dark magenta exterior. They emerge from buds protected by silky bracts. Each flower's center is filled with numerous yellow stamens and a large greenish pistil. Its deciduous foliage consists of large obovate leaves, 20 cm (7.9 in) long and 10 cm (3.9 in) wide, medium green on the upper side, paler and finely villous on the underside, turning yellowish-brown in autumn before falling.

This Magnolia Spectrum, a quintessential ornamental tree, will work wonders in a medium to large garden, quickly becoming the star of spring. It is most often used as a solitary specimen in the middle of a short grass meadow, where its remarkable flowering is particularly striking. It can also be incorporated into a mixed border of acidophilous shrubs with staggered flowering times (large Rhododendrons, Camellias, Hydrangeas, Witch Hazels, Pieris, Anemone Trees, Fothergillas, etc.) for a Japanese-style garden. It is also possible to create large flowering hedges when space allows, alternating this Magnolia with other cultivars (Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia denudata, stellata, brooklyniensis, etc.).

The name Magnolia was given to it in 1703 by Charles Plumier, botanist to King Louis XIV, thus paying tribute to the physician-botanist Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), who was one of the directors of the Botanical Garden of Montpellier in the late 17th century. Its specific name, soulangeana, originates from Etienne Soulange-Bodin (1774-1846), a retired cavalry officer from Napoleon's army who devoted himself to horticulture. In his castle of Fromont, near Paris, he became passionate about Magnolias and obtained this hybrid in 1829, which today is the origin of a magnificent lineage of cultivars!