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Magnolia x gotoburgensis

gtrogeolio x gorobergsnrir T. G. Nitxeiius, an inmrsecdcnai between N. wilsoeii (pinet a Gagncp. Rehd. )/(subgenus Msgeoiia, secdon Oyama Nakai) and 3(. Irlpolseco Sich. dt Zuni(subgenus Magndia, section Rytidosperum Spsch)

by TOR G. NlTZELIUS

In June 1972 two specimens of Anyhow, a number of from Magnolia viz. M. ivilsonil and M. the hand-pollinated (about 7) hypolcuca were flowering simultane- were stored during the winter in a ously in the Botanical Garden of refrigerator (about 4 C) for sowing Gothenburg. This gave me the idea the following season. to try a cross- between Three came up in the them. The hybridizaaon was course of July 1973 but were left performed tentatively with a single without any particular attention in a only of M. (pilgonii as frame for the coming winter. As receiver on a shrubby 3-4m high they, in the beginning, habitually and about 25 years old of English much resembled young seedlings of nursery origin and growing in a M. mi lsonii, I did not expect them to protected corner of the garden. This be alive in the spring of 1974 taking specimen was subsequently killed in into consideration the tenderness of the hard winter 1986-1987.The this in our climate, pollen was taken from a 20 year old particularly in the seedling stage. tree of M. hypoleuca belonging to a Quite surprisingly all three group of this species growing in the plants survived the winter Asiatic section of our arboretum and unprotected except for a thin originating from Tokyo University covering of snow. Immediately they Forest, Yamabe, central Hokkaido, became more interesting, especially northern Japan. as they, during the next summer of In September the same year M. growth, gradually changed their ivilsonli produced a rich crop of size and form to the M. hypoleucu purplish pink including the type. Apparently the cross had been hand-pollinated one. All of them successful. contained a fair number of Out of this threefold grex one seemingly ri pe seeds. As this (clone 1) received a favored specimen of M. urilgonii, like other place in my garden, situated at members of the Oyama section, was 125m altitude in the hills rather self-fertile and yearly had a good close to the gulfstream-influenced harvest of fruits and seeds, I did not west coast of Sweden (Lat. 56 22'N, expect a positive result of my Long. 13 8'E). The climate and cross-pollination and thought that edaphic conditions here are on the the flower after all might have been whole favorable to more hardy self-pollinated. species and hybrids of magnolias

I$$vs $3 ' ' Flaanr af Magnolia x gatabnrgansis ragrnnee, June 1990.

(Uiz. M. /Iypoleuca, M. kobus, M. the sea of Kattegatt. This coastal stellata, M. salicifolia —central strip has one of the mildest climates Japanese strain, M. x 'Charles in Sweden and so facilitates the Coates'). In some ways these cultivation of a wider spectrum of conditions remind one of parts of the magnolia species and hybrids, montane region of central Japan (e. provided, of course, that they are of g. Nagano prefecture, which also the late flushing types. Howering of appears to be the distribution center this clone is expected in two or three of M. /Iypoleuca). The precipitation, years. however, in my part of Sweden very The third specimen (clone 3) was rarely exceeds 900 mm/y (26 sent in 1980 to Mr. C. Ferris Miller inches/year) and has therefore, at Chollipo Arboretum in western particularly in spring, to be Korea. Chollipo Arboretum lies close compensated for by watering and the the Yellow Sea and, as I careful mulching. See K Flinck 1973 understand, has almost perfect on climate and cultivation of conditions for magnolia cultivation. magnolias in Sweden. This clone is, according to a kind One specimen (clone 2) was letter from Mr. Miller dated October subsequently planted in the public 1991, developing well, now being formal garden "Norrviken" close to 4.5m high. It has not yet flowered. the small city of Bbstad, About 30 Around 1975 I wrote to Professor km from my garden and bordering J. C. McDaniel asking whether he

ISSUE 33 knew about hybrids between M. more or less narrowly upright tree wllsonll and M. hypoleucu and (clones 2 and 3); bark greenish received before long a letter dated brown, smooth; branchlets purplish October 8, 1975, from which the brown, pubescent and glabrescent; following may be quoted: leaf- thinly pubescent; ".. . your hybrids of M. wllsonii x narrowly to broadly obovate, 20-32 M. hypoleucu are not known cm long and 6-12 cm broad, acute to elsewhere, to the best of my acuminate, at base broadly cuneate; linowledge. We should be happy to petioles 3-5 cm long; the leaves are try grafting a few twigs of the new grass-green above (young leaves hybrids here on older magnolias to pinkish green), glabrous, with get them to flower a little earlier. . .. " slightly impressed nerves; whitish He later commented on the hybrid green beneath and in juvenile leaves (J. C. McDaniel 1979) in a note tightly clad with whitish, straight or appearing in this journal. According slightly curved hairs; adult leaves to this note, he made several grafts more sparsely hairy, except on the from the scions I sent in 1976 but elevated nerves; fiower-buds remarked, ".. . flowering is not terminal on long or on expected before 1979 at the axillary short shoots, of the same earliest. .. . " Unfortunately, due to type as in the other known members the death of Professor McDaniel, I of the Oyama section; the buds do not know of the further develop- shortly before anthesis attaining ment of the grafts and would be about 3/4 the size and the same most obliged for information from morphological organization of a M. any of the Magnolia Society hypoleucu fiower-; flower erect, members. reminiscent of the flower of this The summer of 1990, clone 1, now species, but smaller, being about 17 a 3-4m high, shrubby tree, flowered cm across; flower consisting of about for the first time, at 17 years of age. 10 spoonshaped, 7.5-8. 5 cm long and The growth had, during the initial 3-4 cm board, white ; years, been delayed, owing to some gynandrophore about 7 cm; exceedingly cool summers and harsh green, with straight, winters. yellowish-pink stigmas; the The following will give a broad surrounding numerous, description of available material of with crimson filaments; the grex, including the of downy; the unripe syncarpium clone 1. Suggested name of the grex: falling some time after anthesis. Magnolia x gotoburgensis T. G. Nitz. Whether this hybrid is completely in commemoration of the Botanical sterile remains to be seen; cytologi- Garden, Gothenburg, SW Sweden, cally it is diploid 2n=38. Type where the hybridization was first specimen (clone 1) kept in the performed. Suggested name of clone (horticultural section) of ' 1 Fragrance, owing to the pleasant the Botanical Garden, Gothenburg. scent of the flowers. Isotype in the Arnold Arboretum, Shrubby, rather broad and Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, USA irregularly branched (clone 1) or Magnolia x gotoburgensis T. G.

ISSUS 33 ' leases of M. 'Fragrance. Mcasuec = 1$ cn3 l6 inchee.

ISSUB 53 Nitzelius, hybridus nooua Hybridus a couple of years before commercial intersectionalis, parentibus M. stock will be available. tcilsonii et M. hypoleuca. Gree tribus My thanks are due to Erland plantis confectus est, clonibur I, H et Ejder, who performed the chromo- HI designatis, Magnolia hypoleucae some counts on growing leafltps of similibus. Di fferunt tamen foliis M. x gotoburgensis, clone 1; to Erick minoribus, anguste uel late abovatis. Mjkaelsson, who translated the latin A Magnolia tcibtonii differunt description; and to Karl Flinck, who fo!its maiorbus ftoribusqueerectis et read the manuscript and gave me apertis. valuable comments. sa Magnolia x gotobwgensis appears to be a promising hybrid for South References Scandinavian conditions, provided it Flinck, K E. 1973. Magnolias in is as floriferous as the mother plant, my garden in Sweden. Netcsletter of M. milsonii, at least in an adult the American Magnolia Society, Vol. phase. From the pollenspending IX No. 2. plant, M. hypoleuca, which is a Spongberg, S. A. 1976. Magnolia- representative of 6 northern ceae hardy in temperate North population in central Hokkaido, America. Journ. Arn. Arb. Vol. 57 northern Japan, it seems to have No. 3. inherited 6 good hardiness. This Treseder, N. G. 1978. Magnolias. advantage is fortunately linked Faber tk Faber, London tk Boston. together with an aptitude for late Wilkinson, J. in Treseder, l. c. flushing (MayQune), possibly 1978. Cytological considerations. inherited from the maternal plant. McDaniel, J. 1979. A Swedish It will not be possible for me to intersectional hybrid. Newsletter of supply propagating material or the American Magnolia Society. Vol. plants to interested parties. As I XV, No. 1. consider the new hybrid a valuable addition to gardens, I have reached Tor ¹tzeltus, former dendrologist an agreement with Mr. Otto at the Botanical Garden, Gothen- Eisenhut of Switzerland, whose burg, has recently been awarded an nursery will distribute M. x honorary doctorate by the Uniuersity gotoburgensia It will probably take of Gothenburg.

Marjory Gossler/Roget Gossler Phone: (503) 7463922 Parrnars Catalog 61.00 ", y ~CO-SSkr~~a///P/ ~g ~u/year Spasializlno in Maonozss srnt Companion Plants 1200 Weaver Road, Sptinggeld, Oregon 07476-6663

Issue 53