BlueBell Arboretum & Nursery

Mail order trees, shrubs, conifers and woody climbers

Description

An unusual and lovely species with a long flowering period, Magnolia sieboldii has white flowers with a cerise centre and a lovely fruity perfume. A specimen in our own arboretum is always in flower here by the third week in May and is usually still flowering at the end of July. These flowers are followed by crimson fruit clusters in autumn. A beautiful, spreading tree with a long lasting flowering period and an excellent garden plant!

Features

• Common name: Siebold's Magnolia or Oyama Magnolia.
• Position: Full sun or partial shade.
• Soil: Well drained, fertile soil.
• Hardiness: Hardy.
• Flowering Period: May - July.
• Flower Colour: White with a cerise centre
• Rate of Growth: Moderate.
• Habit: Large shrub or eventually a small, branching tree.
• Height: 6 m (20 ft).
• Spread: 6 m (20 ft).
• Notes: We have a specimen of Magnolia sieboldii, planted in the woodland garden surrounding our nursery. At 14 years old, it had reached a height of 4 m and a spread of 4 m.

Plant Video - Time-lapse

The flower of a Magnolia sieboldii (Oyama Magnolia) opening on a tree in our gardens over the course of three days (taken in early July 2011).

Further Information

Magnolia sieboldii invariably starts to flower in our arboretum during Chelsea week, the third week of May and is still in flower at the end of July. For a Magnolia this has a huge flowering period with plenty of nodding, scented, ivory white flowers with cerise coloured stamens.

Plant names ending in 'ii', such as 'sieboldii', 'wilsonii' or 'sargentii' are named in honour of a person. Philipp Franz von Siebold, 1796 ? 1866, introduced this plant to the Europe. He was a physician who practised on the island of Deshima near Nagasaki, and gained great fame for his role in introducing western medical knowledge to Japan, most of which was still closed to the West in the mid 19th century.