FLOWER OF YULAN (Magnolia conspicua). ABOUT HALF NATURAL SIZE.
YULAN (Magnolia conspicua); ITS USE AS A WALL SHRUB, CROWSLEY PARK, HENLEY.
| Name. | Country or Origin and Natural Order. | Colour and Season. | General Remarks. |
| Magnolia acuminata (Cucumber tree) | North America; Magnoliaceæ | Greenish yellow | From a flowering point of
view this is one of the
least showy of the
Magnolias, but the tree has
handsome foliage; it
reaches a height of many
feet. The leaves are nearly
a foot long, and half as
much in width. There is a
tree 60 feet high in Syon
Park, Middlesex. |
| *M. conspicua (the Yulan) | China | Pure white; early Spring | Of all the Magnolias, and
indeed of all our deciduous
trees, this is one of the
finest, and also one of the
earliest flowering. It
blooms in some seasons as
early as March, and the
pure white flowers, like
silver chalices, stand out
boldly from the bare
dark-coloured branches.
Owing to the flowers
expanding so early, they
are sometimes injured by
spring frosts, hence in the
northern parts of the
country this species is
often given wall
protection. This Magnolia
succeeds best in a good,
well-drained, loamy soil of
not too heavy a nature,
indeed, such will suit all
the Magnolias perfectly. |
| M. Fraseri (Fraser's Magnolia), (Syn. auriculata) | North America | Creamy white; May | A distinguishing feature of
this Magnolia is the shape
of the large leaves, which
are broader towards the
upper portion than at the
base. It reaches a height
of 30 feet or more, but
needs a spot sheltered from
strong winds. The
sweet-scented flowers are
nearly 6 inches across. |
| M. glauca (the Swamp Magnolia) | North America | White | A shrub from 10 to 12 feet
high, with flowers not
borne all at once, as in
most of the others, but
scattered over two or three
months, from June onwards.
It makes a pretty lawn
shrub for a damp spot. |
| *M. grandiflora (the Evergreen Magnolia) | Southern United States | White; late Summer | The evergreen Magnolia is
more generally grown as a
wall plant than in the open
ground, though in the south
and west of England it will
thrive perfectly without
protection. As a wall
covering the handsome
dark-green leaves render it
effective at all seasons,
and they also serve as an
admirable setting for the
large cup-shaped
deliciously-scented
flowers.
|
| M. hypoleuca | Japan | Creamy white | In Japan this is a tree 60
feet high, and is said to
be a very desirable kind,
but it has not been long
introduced, and the plants
of it in this country are
small. |
| *M. Lennei | Garden origin | Glowing purple outside, pinkish within; late Spring | The flowers of this are
large, massive in texture,
and delightfully coloured.
They are a month or two
later than those of the
Yulan, hence they escape
the frosts which sometimes
injure it. |
| M. obovata (Syn. M. purpurea) | Japan | Purple outside, whitish within; late Spring | A spreading shrub 6 to 8
feet high, with flowers
much smaller than those of
M. Lennei, and not of so
pleasing a colour. It is,
however, a handsome shrub,
less particular in its
requirements than most
Magnolias. |
| M. parviflora | Japan | White; May and June | A neat bush. The centre of
the flower is occupied by a
ring of bright-red
filaments. It is rather
tender. |
| *M. soulangeana | Garden origin | White, tinged purple outside; Spring | A small tree more spreading
in character than M.
conspicua, and flowering
also a little later. Very
pretty, early flowering. |
| *M. stellata (Syn. M. halleana) | Japan | Pure white; March | The earliest of all the
Magnolias. It is a much
branched shrub, seldom more
than 4 feet high, and as
much through. The flowers,
which are borne in great
profusion, are about 3
inches in diameter, and
composed of a dozen or so
of strap-shaped petals; a
lovely shrub. There is a
variety of this with pink
flowers. |
| M. tripetala (Umbrella tree), (Syn. M. Umbrella) | North America | Creamy white; early Summer | A tree remarkable for its
large handsome leaves,
which are arranged in a
regular manner towards the
upper parts of the
branches. The flowers are
creamy white. A sheltered
spot suits this best. |
| M. Watsoni | Japan | Ivory white inside, flushed with rose on the exterior; May and June | A bush about 5 feet high.
The flowers are remarkable
for their central cluster
of crimson filaments. It
needs a sheltered spot. |
MAGNOLIA CONSPICUA var. SOULANGEANA (late Spring).
| Name. | Country or Origin and Natural Order. | Colour and Season. | General Remarks. |
| Notospartium Carmichæliæ | New Zealand; Leguminosæ | Rose; June | This grows in New Zealand
several feet high, but not
here. It has graceful
shoots, which are very
pretty when smothered with
the pink pea-shaped
flowers. A correspondent to
the Garden, writing in
July 1900 from Castle
Douglas, N.B., says: "I am
sure if my plant of
Notospartium Carmichæliæ
were to be seen by any one
who has not got it, there
would be countless
inquiries for it. It has
always done well and
flowered freely, but this
year it is simply
magnificent, with only the
points of the twigs visible
above the mass of bright
pink blossoms." |
| Nuttallia cerasiformis | California; Rosaceæ | White; early Spring | This is one of the
prettiest and most
interesting of March
shrubs. It is of good
habit, and produces a large
quantity of dull white
flowers in drooping
racemes. The fruits, too,
are pretty, not unlike
those of a small plum, of
reddish-yellow colour, with
a plum-like bloom. It must
be noted that the flowers
are liable to be diœcious,
and so, therefore the sexes
must be planted together,
though we have obtained
fruit by sticking branches
of the male flowers among
those of the female shrub. |
| *Olearia Haastii (Daisy Bush) | New Zealand; Compositæ | White; July and August | A valuable evergreen
Box-like shrub, laden with
small white Daisy-like
blossoms with a yellow
disc. Though a native of
New Zealand, it is hardy in
most parts of England. |
| O. macrodonta (New Zealand Daisy tree), (Syn. O. dentata) | New Zealand | White; July | This has large Holly-like
leaves, silvery on the
undersides, and heads of
Daisy-like blossoms. Far
more tender than O.
Haastii, this needs a wall
in most parts of the south
of England, though it is
hardy in the extreme west
and in the south of
Ireland. |
| O. stellulata (Syn. O. gunniana, Eurybia gunniana) | New Zealand | White, yellow disc; May and June | An evergreen bush, with
small narrow leaves, the
undersides covered with
whitish felt. The
Daisy-like flowers appear
in profusion. Its
requirements are the same
as the last. |
| O. Traversii (Syn. Eurybia Traversii) | New Zealand | White; June | In its native country this
is a timber tree, but here
it needs the same treatment
as the last two. The
flowers are small and
creamy white. |
