Magnolia x thompsoniana

The Magnolia x thompsoniana is one of the first horticultural creations resulting from the accidental hybridization of two Magnolia species. This vigorous small tree is recognizable by its somewhat exotic appearance. It owes this to its ability to form multiple trunks, its strongly spreading habit, and its abundant dark and glossy foliage with a silvery underside, that persists when winter is not too severe. Its second asset is its long-lasting and gently scented flowers, which bloom from spring to summer. Its large cream-white flowers, with a curiously parchment-like appearance, even appear on young plants. In the garden, it will appreciate, like most magnolias, fertile and moist, neutral to acidic soil, and a sunny exposure.

Within the magnolia family, Thompson's Magnolia is one of the most vigorous. It is a robust tree of beautiful stature, perfectly hardy, often many-stemmed, developing a wide, airy, and sparsely branched crown, overall conical-rounded, with a rather dense appearance. It was born in London in 1808, in the nursery of Archibald Thompson, probably from the spontaneous hybridization between Magnolia virginiana, from the humid South of the U.S.A, and M. tripetala, native to the Eastern United States. In our gardens, it will reach an average size of 6 meters (20 feet) in all directions. Its branches bear entire, obovate leaves with undulate margins, measuring up to 21 cm (8in) in length and 8.5 cm (3in) in width. They are deciduous below -12°C (10.4°F). The upper surface of the leaf is dark green with a satin finish, while the underside is slightly hairy and of a lighter color, with silvery reflections. Flowering takes place from May-June to July, for about 2 months, intermittently. The flowers appear at the end of the branches. They are cream-white to pale yellow in color and measure about 12 cm (5in) in diameter. They are composed of thick petals, with a texture reminiscent of paper. Their fragrance somewhat resembles that of vanilla.

This Magnolia, magnificent in both foliage and flowers, deserves to be discovered and planted more often in our gardens. Its vigor requires that there is enough space to accommodate it. It will naturally be most often used as a solitary specimen in the middle of a lawn, or towering over a bed of lower shrubs. It pairs well with the flamboyant flowers of Rhododendrons and shrub peonies. Beautiful trees like the Henry's Lime (Tilia henryana) will accompany it in its flowering. To accompany it towards the end of the season, the Caramel Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) or the Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica) will enhance its foliage with magnificent autumn colors.