 Magnolia kobus var kobus |
Native Region: Mountains of Japan Zone Range: 4-9 Preferred Climate: Full/semi sun; average well draining soil. Harvest Date: Wednesday 17 October, 2012 Seed count: 15-20
Description:
Beautiful deciduous magnolia from the mountains of Japan. Upright form reaches 8 meters and 6 meters wide at 50 years. White fragrant flowers have a light pink stripe. Shapely leaves. Nice tree overall. One of the parents to Loebneri hybrids. Firm petals don't mope in Spring rains nor succumb to Spring frosts. Mature plants are covered in bloom. Very hardy and problem free. Scarlet knobby seed pod/cones in the fall. Collect the seed before the birds and squirrels do! Flowers in mid April.
Notes: Never lime magnolias (EVER!). Use acidic fertilizers if you need to. All magnolias love bark mulch.
Cultivation: Fresh seed. Never let magnolia seed overly dry out as this kills the embryo. Sow immediately 2 cm deep, keep moist, keep the pot outside to finish the cold stratification cycle of 120 days. Sunlight inhibits germination. Most seed will germinate in May with the remaining the following May. Newly emerging seedlings need indirect light/dappled shade at first then stronger light as they put down a larger root system. Protect from nibbling pests two years. Note: seed beginning to sprout are too fragile to ship (and are all mine!). All magnolias growing in temperate regions have identical seed germination requirements where no special treatment is needed other than sowing and cold stratification (experience cold damp conditions).
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