New cultivars of Magnolia grandiflora

by Richard B. Figlar than 1000 plants per year) usually by specialty nurseries. Although well over 100 cultivar Within the past twenty years a names have been assigned to diiferent pattern has emerged. Magnolia grandifhra, until recently Vegetative propagation techniques relatively few cultivate have been began to improve, and discriminating widely available in the United gardeners and landscape architects States. Moreover, horticultural many began to demand the superior and texts, monographs, and other predictable qualities o8'ered by select published works list old typically cultivars rather than seedlings. At such Eumpean selections as the same time the retail nursery 'Angustifolia', 'Exmouth', business, having been buoyed by the 'Galissoniensis', 'Gloriosa', and advent of container grown plants, 'Goliath' as the principal M. found that these vegetatively grandiffara cultivars. Although many propagated magnolias would bloom at of these are of superior garden merit a much younger sge than seedling and are available in the trade in plants and often while still in their suitable climes of Europe, they are containers on the retail lot. This, of little tested and have never been course, improved direct sales and widely available in the U. S. further increased the demand for M. Since M. grandifhra is an grandi flora cultivars. abundant native tree of the Atlantic In the fall of 1987, I made a and Gulf coastal plains, it would survey among many of the wholesale seem obvious that many, if not the gmwers of M. grandiflora cultivars in best, cultivars would originate from the United States. The results were this huge genetic repository in the quite interesting. First of ail, it Southeast. Unfortunately, that was confirmed that of the older cultivars not to be the case. Since M. 'Majestic Beauty' continues to be the grandi/fora was as easy to grow from most widely available selection in the seed as it was dlfBcuit and expensive country and perhaps the world with to vegetatively propagate, new an estimated 40, 000 plants being cultivars would often fade away soon produced annually by Monrovia after their introduction. Nurseries of Azusa, California. 'Little Of the 24 M. grandijhra cultivars Gem' was second with half that described by J. C. McDaniel in' 1973 amount, followed by 'St Mary', [Reference 4], only Sve are still in 'Samuel Sommer', and 'Russet' in large scale production (large scale that order. being deSned as more than 1000 More important, however, the plants per year). These are 'Majestic survey revealed 5 new cultivars in Beauty', 'Little Gem', 'St Mary', large scale production. These are 'Samuel Sommer', and 'Russet'. Only considered "new" in as much as they half a doxen more, including haven't been previously published in 'Baldwin', 'Edith Bogue', 'Freeman', this journal nor did they appear in 'Galissoniensis', and 'Victoria' are in Joe McDaniel's list of 24 cultivars in limited production (that is, fewer 1973. They are 'Bracken's Brown Beauty', 'D. D. Blanchard', 'Claudia with an intense copper indumentum. Wannamaker', 'Mon)and', and Flowering habit is typical for the 'Symmes Select'. species as is the size of the Bowers. Leaves are broadly e)hptic with New cultivazs slightly revolute, but not undulating, 'Bracken's Bmwn Beauty' (Pat. margins. The tree itself forms a $5520) —This patented selection was compact pyramid. discovered by Ray Bracken in a I have not yet seen this cultivar, seedling row at his nursery in but photos of the plant most Easley, South Carolina in 1968. convincingly reveal its outstanding 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' is foliage and form. Good sized trees distinguished by its very dense are available wholesale only from pyramidal habit, prolific fiowering, Robbins Nursery, Willard, NC. This and attractive bmwn backed foliage. clone has proved hardy in the Flowers are half the size of typical Washington, DC area. The cultivar M. grondflfora and it is moderately name 'D. D. Blanchard' is a remontant (blooming more than once registered trademark of Robbins in a season). Lustrous dark green Nursery. leaves are elliptical with undulating 'Claudia Wannamaker' —Selected margins and have good rusty-brown by Johnny Brailsford of Shady indumentum. Grove Plantation and Nursery, I have seen these plants in Ray's Orangeburg, South Carolina, this M. nursery and found them to be almost grondi/Ioro cultivar has actually been unbelievably compact trees, in large scale production for quite reminiscent of balsam fir on a some time (the late 1960's). Its chief Christmas tree plantation. The leaves attributes are its small brown-backed are stfifer than usual, and this, leaves and its miniature fiowers coupled with the short stout which are said to be one-third the pedio)as, makes for very durable size of typical M. grand(/(oro blooms. wind resistant foliage. The cultivar The flat e)hptical leaves are 4 to 7 appears to be hardy, having inches long by 2 to 3 inches wide withstood —20' with only slight and are described as serpentine green with medium brown indumentum. It Landscape size wholesale trees are is also a remontant bloomer with a available from Ray Bracken Nursery, May through September flowering Easley, SC and Shadow Nursery, season. Individual fiowers are 3 to Winchester, Tennessee. Public 3% inches in diameter. p)anthem of 'Bracken's Brown Though the description of this Beauty' can be seen at Disney cultivar resembles that of 'Bracken's World, Orlando, Florida and the Brown Beauty', I have seen both Blair House, Washington, DC. cultivars growing alongside each 'D. D. Blanchard' —The original other and found 'Claudia tree was discovered in the yard of Wannamaker' to be of a broads, Mr. D. D. B)ancbard of Wallace, more open pyramidal habit than the North Camlina in the early 1960's tighter form oifered by 'Bracken's by the Robbins family of Willard, Brown Beauty'. They actually look NC. After having initiaUy propagated quite different. the tree by air layering, Robbins 'Claudia Wannamaker' can be seen Nursery began large scale in plantings at many shopping mails propagation in earnest in 1980. 'D. and public places throughout the D. Blanchard' is characterized by its South including Epcot Center of very dark glossy green leaves backed Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Field-grown nursery plants estimated 80,000 plants per year. It are available via wholesale from has been hardiness rated at USDA Shady Gmve Plantation and Zone 6 and should be available —if Nursery. Additional details on this not already —at many retail nurseries cultivar are presented in a separate and garden centers throughout much article authored by Johnny of the U. S. Bob Eiland shares his Brailsford in this issue. colorful story of the discovery of this 'Monland' —Originally discovered plant in an accompanying article. by Bob Eiland of Charmwood Monrovia has flled a plant patent Nursery, Millbrook, Alabanm during application for 'Monland'. the late 1960's, major propagation 'Symmes Select' —This cultivar and naming of this selection didn' t was discovered by the late John occur until Monrovia Nurseries Symmes of Cedar Lane Farm, Inc. , acquired the plant in the early Madison, Georgia in 1966 as a 1980's. The 'Monland' is an acmnym superior seedling derived fmm seed of Monrovia and Eiland. collected from trees in Westview By far the most distinctive feature Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia. 'Symmes of this cultivar is the broad oval Select' is another very fine compact form of the tree which is quite M. grandiflora characterized by its atypical for M. grandi/lore. rich dark green leaves which have Apparently this characteristic is slightly undulating margins coupled stable and comes true on successive with good brown indumentum. Its pmpagation. Flowering is to said to abundant bloom begins while cutting be very profuse and strongly grown plants are stffi quite small. remontant. For this reason and The well formed Bowers are 9 because of the apparent sterility of tepaled and of typical size for the the seed of this selection, it has species. been suggested that 'Monland' may In addition to its use as a be a hybrid of M. grandiffora and landscape tree, it is said to be a M. uirginiana. According to favorite for cut foliage for use in Frederick G. Meyer [Reference 5), Sower arrangements. 'Symmes Select' "remontant flowering is a tendency is available wholesale from Cedar found in both M. uirginiana and M. Lane Farm and beginning this year grandi/fora, but the trait is far more (1988), it will be available retail evident in the hybrids". I acquired a plant of 'Monland' this year and it continued to bloom well into November. Gossler Farms Nursery Individual Bowers are huge, 10 to 12 inches in diameter and Specializing in Magnolias and consistently bear 12 tepals instead of Companion Plants the usual 9. The narmw, long petioled leaves are bright glossy OUR CATALOG AT $1.00 green with light to moderate indumentum. Send for your today Monmvia introduced 'Monland' in copy 1987 and markets it as Magnolia hybrid Timeless Beautyn" 'Monland'. 1200 Weaver Road In its second year of release it will Springfield, Oregon 97477 have already become the second Phone: (503) 746-3922 most pmpagated M. grandijfora cultivar in America with an from Wayside Gardens via their amateurs and professionals alike. In mail-order catalog. It has been the latter category, Tom and Bill hardiness rated at USDA Zone 6 Dodd of Tom Dodd Nurseries, thmugh 9. Semmes, Alabama have begun a form of M. grandi/fora New in pmpagating cultivars which not only dfsp)ays superior limited production foliage and form, but reliably Though generally not as widely produces double flowers. They are available as the previously mentioned also testing seedling selections of selections, several more new or little 'Griffin' and 'Satin LeaP as well as published cultivars are worth inter-cultivar "crosses" between mentioning here. 'Overton' is a 'Satin LeaP and 'Charles Dickens'. rugged 'St Mary' lookalike With such a vast array of fine new propagated by Robbins Nursery. cultivars along with the continued From Shady Grove Nursery comes groundswell of interest for developing 'Margaret Davis' and 'Smitty', both even better ones, M. grandiffora has with 8 to 12 inch blooms and fine come a long way from the days of brown-backed foliage, the former just 'St Mary', 'Exmouth', and having narrower leaves than the 'Goliath', which is only fitting for latter. Cedar Lane Nursery the plant that some say is America' s pmpagates a fastigiate columnar most significant contribution to form of M. grandillora aptly called world horticulture. 'Mainstreet'. Magnolia Nursery, References Chunchula, Alabama is pmpagating Dirr, Michael A. 1986. "Ten two nice cultivars. Their 'Fairhope' (1) plants that deserve a longer selection has nearly round blunt- woody look. " IPPS Combined proceedings, tipped leaves while 'Spring Hill', the VoL 35: 728-734. author's personal favorite, displays (2) Dirr, Michael A. and Brinson, exceptionally elegant foliage. Ken "M. Durio of Louisiana Nursery, Beth. 1986. grandifiora:" a Opelousas, Louisiana propagates propagation guide. Am. 38-51 upwards of 30 different M. Nurseryman, Nov. 1, 1985: grandijfora cultivars. Included are (3) Higginbotham, Julie S. 1987. 'Workman', a compact tree with "New woody plants" offer fresh small 4' inch flowers; 'Hamld Peale' landscape options. Am. with its narrow strap-like leaves and Nurseryman, 165(9): 89-90. compact shrub habit; 'H. D. (4) McDaniel, J. C. 1973. "There" Blackwell' which has very glossy is variety in evergreen magnolias. undulating leaves with lots of Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Record indumentum along with an ability to 29(3): 18-21. Reprinted in bloom while stffi quite small; and MAGNOLIA: Issue 16: 3-7. 'Silver Tip' which displays thick (5) Meyer, Frederick G. 1971. silvery indumentum on the backs of "Two new hybrid magnolia its huge glossy green leaves. cultivars. " Newsletter of the Research and testing of potentially American Magnolia Society, VoL better cultivars continues by 8(1) [issue 11]: 7-9. Top: Ray Bracken with 'Bracken's Brown Beauty'

Bottom Flower of 'Brack- en's Brown Beauty'