by OLAV KALLEBERC
For about fifteen years I have find some Magnolia kobus and M. k. been growing magnolias at Sira, a var. borealis. The latter, called the small village between Kristiansand Snow-magnolia, flowers after about and Stavanger on the southwest 15-20 years from seed. It is quite coast of Norway. My garden is 1555 hardy, but not showy. We find it in square meters, and it lies 12 miles Teyen Botanical Garden in Oslo, at from the sea. The altitude is 80 As, and at several other places along meters above sea level. the southern and western coasts. The extremes of temperature are Magnolias can be planted to 34'C and -20'C with the average Trondheim, but only close to the sea. temperature (year) being 6 C. We must not forget that the Gulf Temperatures higher than 30 are Stream regulates the temperature not common. The average tempera- in this area. ture in the warmest month is about In Trondheim M. Salicifolia is 16-17 C (July). Snow cover is not planted. In Bergen, which lies more dependable. We had no snow at all to the south, M. hypoieuca is grown. the last two winters. The average In Bergen rhododendrons can grow temperature in January was 5 C. to enormous dimensions. Dauidia A few years ago the temperature in can grow there also. Not far from January was -5. 8'C. In 1941-42 it Bergen Araucaria araucana can was -9.5'C. In February and March grow to about 20 meters. Seedlings eastern winds and long-lasting frost from this tree have been found at can do much damage if there is no Stord, not far from Bergen. Cedrus snow. atlantica and C. deodara can grow in Normal rainfall is 1800 mm a this area. The climate is moist and year. About 759o of the rain is in the rainfall can reach 3000-4000 mm autumn and winter. Spring is rather in western Norway. dry, especially May/June. The The best magnolia in Norway is magnolia flowers are therefore Magnolia siebotdii. It fruits freely, seldom ruined by rain. Late frost is and it is easy to layer. The seed is a threat after mild winters. fertile, and, after about 3-4 months Magnolias are by no means of moist storage (2-4'C), it ger- common in Norway. Treseder minates readily if sown in 20'C and considers southern Norway to be the protected from the sun. You may northern limit for M. acuminata. A read about this species in MACNO- few large trees of this species do t.IA, Spring 1989, especially about occur on the south coast. We also double forms. If any of the readers
bIAGNGUA 22 ISSUE SO Magnolia sieboldii. The plont in the photo betotois located at the railsnty station in gira, Nonuay. This magnolia is thirty years ohh
ISSUE So know where to obtain semidouble or years, especially in cold areas. douhle M. sieboldii or M. Sincnsis The loebneri cultivars 'Merrill' —let me know. Several cultivars are and 'Ballerina' were damaged after named: 'Semi-Plena', 'Kwanso', a very mild winter. They survived 'Flora-plena', and an unnamed hard winters before. It seems to be a cultivar that has some double problem in Norway: plants of flowers with 36 tepals. The double magnolia must have a warm forms usually have 22 tepals. The summer to ripen the wood. I noticed semidouble forms may have 12-16 that after an extremely warm (18) tepals. A hardy semidouble form August, the plants had no problems is grown in Manchuria. surviving a long and hard winter. I have found theM. Sicboldii with After a rainy summer with cool yellow stamens, and I am hoping to weather the plants were damaged get a grafted plant, This rare plant after a very mild winter. The plants does not come true from seed. Ferris started too early in the spring, and a Miller told me about seedlings from snowfall was devastating. Therefore the "yellow" M. sieboldii. None had it is wise to plant against a wall. I the special character. Only a few of find that the average temperature is the seedlings from double flowered much higher and therefore cultivars will produce multitepalled magnolias will flower more freely flowers. under such conditions. I have one single plant of M. I have planted several cultivars siebotdii 'Genesis. ' It has twice the at Sira. I like M. 'Wada's Memory' normal chromosome number. The very much. The flowers are far more flowers are larger than common M. showy than flowers of M. Itobus var. sieboldii and beautiful. The diploid borealis. The lemon fragrance is cultivar will cross with other species pleasant, the tepals white and with 38 chromosomes. beautiful. It is a vigorous grower and Magnolia x wieseneri is not hardy too. common in Norway. In Sweden we In my garden I also grow M. ' can find crosses between M. Sieboldii 'Charles Coates, a cross between M. and a more hardy M. Aypoleuca. sicboldii and M. tripetala. It seems There are several crosses between hardy. I do not have a large plant of these species. The flowers differ in M. tripctala, but I have seedlings of ' minor details. The scent is usually the cultivar 'Bloomfield. The plants penetrating, but pleasant. are hardy. From Anders Blomqvist Magnolia stellata (especially the in Sweden I learned that seedlings cultivar 'Royal Star') is found in can flower after 4-5 years. M. smaller gardens. It is usually sited sieboldit needs 5-7 years to flower hear the house foundation. It is also from seed. It is recorded that M. possible to grow smaller plants of ashei may flower after a few years. this magnolia in containers for Magnolia Yellow Bird' flowered several years. It transplants well. in September of last year (a two year Older plants are often more hardy, old grafted plant). It was destroyed and it is wise to grow plants indoors after a mild winter by sunscald. I in a sheltered environment for some saw that the summer sun had done
NIAGNOUA 24 ISSUE SO some damage before the frost. The Abics pl nsapo 'Kelleriis' also gives loebneri cultivars were also damaged some half-shade. in this way. M. 'Evamaria' grows I use sheep manure as fertilizer. well in a container. I obtained a new I spread the manure in autumn and Vellow Bird' and will have another cover with leaves as a protection try. Magnolia quinquepeta 'Nigra' before the frost. This mulch gives was planted in 1981. It has frozen to the plants what they need —protec- the ground a couple of times, but tion and nutrition. I also use the now it is two meters high. It same types of material for the flowered against the wall the last seedlings. two springs. Nearby M. 'Susan' does I hope that new and hardy well. Some flowers are a bit twisted hybrids will give the gardeners in and some have more tepals than the the far northern or southern others. It flowers freely, however. hemisphere a chance. Magnolia Magnolia x soulangiana is acumi natu must be used in crossings probably the most common magnolia to get hardy plants. The most hardy in Norway, but it is by no means provenance must be available. As an hardy. I have some cultivars: example, I will mention M. ' 'Sundew', 'Ruby', and 'Burgundy. I hypoleuca from northern Japan. In noticed that the latter had several Scandinavia seedlings flower freely. fiowerbuds as a two year old graft. It Magnolia hypoleuca from a more flowered when it was one year old. southern area are by no means 'Lennei' is planted in Norway, also. hardy here. I have noticed that M. Magnolia cylindrica was not sieboldii likewise can be more or less hardy. A grafted plant from Holland hardy. I hope that it will be easier to was killed after a normal winter. It obtain hardy plants and that is difficult to know if the understock nurseries will ship plants true to was the reason. In our climate it is name. It is quite a disappointment wise to use rooted cuttings or to wait for a long time for a certain seedlings. plant to flower and have it prove a I have about 25 magnolias in my failure. W garden and in containers. I also grow about ten different wi sterias Oilac, white, and yellow colors). Conifers are growing among MaguoIIa 'But terfHes' magnolias and rhododendrons. My favorite plants next to magnolias For Sale and wisterias are Rebinia and 1 Yeat Grafts Only 20 Available Sciadopltys. The latter prefers the $85 plus S10 Shipping/Handling same soil as the magnolias. From Germany I have obtained the Lakehaven Nursery ependula', 'Aurea', cultivars and the 2763 S. Memorial Drive dwarf 'Sternschnuppe. ' A large Green Bay, WI 54313 Roblnia x ambigua 'Decaisneana' gives the small plants protection from the sun. A twenty year old
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