Magnolia liliiflora

Magnolia liliiflora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Subgenus: Magnolia subg. Yulania
Section: Magnolia sect. Yulania
Subsection: Magnolia subsect. Yulania
Species:
M. liliiflora
Binomial name
Magnolia liliiflora
Synonyms[2]
Synonymy
  • Lassonia quinquepeta Buc'hoz
  • Magnolia atropurpurea Steud.
  • Magnolia denudata var. purpurea (Curtis) C.K.Schneid.
  • Magnolia discolor Vent.
  • Magnolia gracilis Salisb.
  • Magnolia liliiflora var. gracilis (Salisb.) Rehder
  • Magnolia liliiflora var. nigra (G.Nicholson) Rehder
  • Magnolia liliiflora f. nigra (G.Nicholson) Geerinck
  • Magnolia obovata var. discolor (Vent.) DC.
  • Magnolia obovata var. purpurea (Curtis) Ser.
  • Magnolia obovata var. liliiflora (Desr.) DC.
  • Magnolia plena C.L.Peng & L.H.Yan
  • Magnolia polytepala Y.W.Law, R.Z.Zhou & R.J.Zhang
  • Magnolia purpurea Curtis
  • Magnolia purpurea var. discolor (Vent.) Loudon
  • Magnolia purpurea var. liliiflora (Desr.) Loudon
  • Magnolia quinquepeta (Buc'hoz) Dandy
  • Talauma sieboldii Miq.
  • Magnolia × soulangeana var. nigra G.Nicholson
  • Talauma sieboldii Miq.
  • Yulania japonica Spach
  • Yulania japonica var. purpurea (Curtis) P.Parm.
  • Yulania liliiflora (Desr.) D.L.Fu

Magnolia liliiflora is a shrub or small tree native to southern China (including Sichuan and Yunnan), but cultivated for centuries elsewhere in China and also Japan. Variously known by many names, including Mulan magnolia, purple magnolia, red magnolia, lily magnolia, tulip magnolia and woody-orchid, it was first introduced to English-speaking countries from cultivated Japanese origins, and is thus also sometimes called Japanese magnolia, though it is not native to Japan. It is now also planted as an ornamental in North America and Europe, though rather less often than its popular hybrid (see below).

It is a deciduous shrub, exceptionally a small tree, to 4m tall (smaller than most other magnolias), and blooms profusely in early spring with large pink to purple showy flowers, before the leaf buds open. It is one of the slowest-growing trees, with a growth rate of 15 - 30 centimeters (6–12 in) when young.[3]

The cultivar 'Nigra', with flowers much deeper in colour than the species, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4] It prefers an acid or neutral soil, in full sun or light shade.

This species is one of the parents of the popular hybrid saucer magnolia, M. × soulangeana, the other parent being the Yulan magnolia, M. denudata.

Magnolia liliiflora blooming: a series of photographs taken one per day in the Spring of 2006 in Gainesville, Florida

References

  1. ↑ Global Tree Specialist Group. (2014). "Magnolia liliiflora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014 e.T191488A1985387. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T191488A1985387.en. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "Magnolia liliiflora Desr". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  3. ↑ DeAngelis, Zack (2022-01-03). "Slowest Growing Trees (And Why They Grow So Slow) - Tree Journey". Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  4. ↑ "Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra'". Royal Horticultural Society. 2017. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
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  • eFloras, Missouri Botanical Garden & Harvard University Herbaria, Magnolia liliiflora, retrieved 31 December 2009
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