The magnolias in the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden have been nothing short of spectacular this year. If you're a local BPotD reader and haven't had a chance to visit the garden, plan a trip before the end of this upcoming weekend to catch the tail end of the peak bloom -- a few of the earliest flowering trees are starting to fade.
Magnolia campbellii subsp. mollicomata 'Borde Hill' has been delighting many of us in the garden for the past two and a half weeks. My former office had this view from the window (photograph of entire tree from 2006), but this year, the plant seems to have twice as many blossoms.
The cultivar name is in reference to the UK's Borde Hill Garden. This cultivar was described in 1955, according to the Magnolia cultivar checklist from the Magnolia Society. UBC Botanical Garden received this plant as a scion in 1982 from Trewithen Gardens.
Daniel, your comment about year-to-year variation in amount of flowering reminds me of the magnolia tree in our back yard. Some years it has very few flowers, and some years it's a thick mass of pink petals. Any idea why this happens?
The first photo in particular captures such a lovely gesture.
ej's comment made me appreciate the first photo in a whole new way. Both photos are so beautiful. Our magnolias haven't yet started blooming here in Maryland, but we see their furry buds getting ready.
Ahh how I miss springs in Vancouver! A few years ago I was an exchange student in landscape architecture at UBC. It was a delight for me to discover all these flowers that seemed to bloom for a much longer period than out here in Montreal. Their size and diversity was astounding! I had a really hard time figuring out all the amazing trees and shrubs I could put in my designs - so much choice considering Montreal's hardiness zone is around 5b in best conditions and Vancouver up to 8. It was a completely different world for me.
WoW! I did not know that the Magnolia came in a
beautiful color. We have a Formosa Azealea that
loved the little cold weather we had in this Zone
11 on the east coast of south Florida. There muust be 100 blooms now. Gorgeous!
Ah! That's made my day! How very beautiful.
Daniel, would it be possible to do an item on the Southern US Magnolia (one of my favorites because of the odor it emits) and compare it to this Magnolia? Is there a smell that comes with those beautiful purple flowers? The Southern Magnolia has the most gorgeous large white flowers. And oh that wonderful aroma emanating from them. Thanks for all the pics, and education that you are providing to those of us NOT in the business.
Stuart, I don't know why the phenomenon occurs. I know that last year, due to the cold, most of the magnolia flowering here at the Garden was relatively poor. So, it could have something to do with resource allocation. Or climatic phenomena. Or genetically-enforced cycles. Or...? We'll need an expert to comment.
George, we have done some southern magnolias before on BPotD, but they are summer bloomers so we'll have to wait until later in the year. Fortunately, the Garden has more of these plants these days growing in our recently-developed Carolinian Forest. As for the scent on 'Borde Hill' -- none of these blossoms are reachable by me to smell. These photographs were taken with a fairly long lens. I do wish someone would invent smell-o-photos.
ooooohhhhh, aaaaahhhhhhhhh - SPRING!
Beautiful photos as usual :)
Stuart, year-to-year variation in flowering is probably related to a number of reasons. One reason that has been proved in several studies is that the magnitude of flowering in one season is dependent on the fruiting success of the previous reproductive season, which would be related to Daniel's suggestion of resource allocation. No idea if that would apply to Magnolias though!
This photo is so unearthly gorgeous that my jaw dropped (LITERALLY) :D Daniel, once again, thank you for bringing beauty to our lives with these photos!!! I'm still in awe of this photo. Highly envious of you and your team, and especially anyone who has a daily view of this beauty!
This is a perfect selection for a March day! I love it. There are about 50 or so Saucer Magnolias (Magnolia X soulangiana) in bloom at my nursery. This species is new to me but I really like the color, as the variety we have here in Dallas, TX is almost a burgundy color. Ours are very heavily bloomed this spring, and they were preceded by the heaviest snow in 25 years. For at least the last 20 years, they have been really sparce in blooms due to late frosts, so who knows. Anyhow, thanks for the very March posting.
Smell-o-photo's would be quite interesting, especially with Stapelias and Arums, just imagine the looks on viewers faces!!! Lovely photo, by the way. A brief question as to quality/quantity of bloom, how are the yellow varieties doing this year? And thanks for the wonderful daily joy.
its just spring
put a wreath on your head
and enjoy enjoy enjoy
Donald, I don't believe we have any yellow-flowered cultivars in the garden -- but I'll ask (I think I would have noticed by now, but maybe there are some young trees). I haven't noted any in the local streetscapes either, though I know that they are produced by one of the local nurseries.
...ha..Magnolia campbellii subsp....i thought it said ...
Magnolia Campbells soup....he..he..
What divine colour. It is a most beautiful specimen!
I loved the softest suggestion of blue in the sepal (do I have the correct word?). And the hint of green down one ribbing. It made a lovely contrast with the magenta of the petal.
This is a sign for me to take action. I've lovingly attended to my Magnolia "Vulcan" for three years in its cramped pot. Today I will release it from its confines and plant it in the garden so blossoms such as these can greet me in seasons to come. Ah, what took me so long?
These are gorgeous flowers, and a wonderful colour in this photo.
I love all of the magnolias, especially the "saucer magnolias", with their pink-cream flowers. It seems like some sort of special dispensation or favour from nature, that these trees will grow and bloom here in Toronto. Not until some time in May, though.
The light may be reflecting the strong petal color onto the sepals. Naturally artistic to see the colors in more than one place in the picture. The off and on number of blossoms would be related to light periods and water amounts. This winter in Ohio has been practically non-stop snow and clouds that did not let light through to much of anything, here in northeast Ohio.
Fabulous colour. Stunning pic. Many thanks Daniel.
By the way, Trewithen is an amazing garden in Cornwall UK. full of many wonderful trees and shrubs, especially famous as a spring garden. It is in a very sheltered valley, and the magnolias there always flower earlier than the rest of Britain. I was reading recently that they have sadly had to fell mature trees due to sudden oak death.
Daniel,
What a stellar stunner! Wish I was there to check it out. Oh, our Magnolia zenii is now in bloom -- this is a great year for her. So far, this warm spell has not been shattered by cold temps. It'll happen, but this nice window of warmth is great. I can't remember, do you guys have this species? It was a 1980 SABE plant. Will get you budwood or cuttings if you want it.
All the best!
Michael
I just want to know if magnolias and lotuses are related species....but I don't seem to be able to get an answer!! Is there anyone reading this who can answer my qustion?!
Lyn, they are not closely related. Lotus is in the Nelumboaceae in the Proteales order and Magnolia are in the Magnoliaceae in the Magnoliales order.