Magnolia x loebneri 'MERRILL'

Merrill is a Lobner magnolia variety with white flowers. They are star-shaped, with a cup-shaped calyx. It has an advantage of 1-2 weeks later flowering as opposed to star magnolias (m.stellata) which can be damaged during early flowering by late night frost. Flowers appear on bare wood. They are white and have light pink shades before opening from buds. Ovate to obovate leaves are deciduous, fresh green and bronze when young, turning mid green in summer. Fully leaved magnolias belong to the bushiest shrubs with dense, healthy foliage.

Magnolias are not supposed to be pruned. You can prune old shrubs if ill, or trim them to shape or to reduce size, or make an elementary cut to young plants of unsightly or unhealthy appearance. Do this as soon as possible after flowering to secure setting of flower buds for the following year. Be aware that each magnolia can respond differently to pruning.

Deciduous magnolias are quite easy plants. All they need is light, well-drained, acidic soil with equal moisture throughout the year. Once established they can do with occasional drought but will not look as nice as the ones with regular watering. Just pay attention to how to plant your magnolia. First, find it a spot where it will live forever and ever. It does not like transplanting. And as it makes shallow roots reaching well over its spread stay away from disturbing the roots by digging or messing about around it. Just cover the soil with bark mulch and do not plant anything else near it after say the second year after planting onwards. You could damage the very important top roots that absorb maximum moisture and nutrients from the soil. Also avoid planting magnolia too deep. Thus you could be digging its grave. It is fully hardy to -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 24-01-2009