Download the free app
1/6
Lily magnolia
Magnolia liliiflora
Woody orchid, Mu-lan, Lily-flowered magnolia(Eng.)
1/6
Lily magnolia is a sun-loving shrub that gets up to 4m in height and branches from the base. It carries striking pink to purple fragrant flowers on its bare branches in spring and is a stunning feature plant for any garden. It can be planted from cuttings, seeds or mature plants. This is a must have in any garden.
Planning
Difficulty
Moderate
Fruiting time
Summer, Winter, Spring
Harvesting
Flowers can be removed but they do not last very long before wilting occurs.
Seeds can be harvested from the follicles (fruit-like structures). Seeds can be packaged in slightly moist vermiculite and refrigerated.
Propagation
Seed
Seeds are sown in late winter so that germination can take place in spring but it can take up to 18 months. Soak seeds in water before sowing to loosen the seed coat.
Cuttings
Cuttings can be made from mature plants. Hormone powder can be used to encourage root formation.
Special features
Autumn colour
Purple and pink leaf colours
Geography
Origin
Native to southwestern China (Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces) but has been cultivated elsewhere in China, and also in Japan.
Environment
Light
Full Sun
Soil moisture
Dry
Soil type
Loam, Sand
Soil PH preference
Acid, Neutral
Frost hardiness
Hardy
Uses
Medicinal
Flowers and unopened flower buds have been used for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis and colds .
Personality
Family
Magnoliaceae
Flower colour
Purplish pink on the outsides and whitish on the insides.
Scent
Mild
Problems
Magnolia scale (Neolecanium cornuparvum) suck sap from the stems. You can encourage ladybugs to visit your garden, they love to feed and the scales.
Scale can lead to black sooty mold to form on plants. They drop a sugary substance called honeydew that the mold grows upon. It can also attract other insects like ants to the shrub. Control the scales to help control the mold problem.
Download the free app
Join the Growing Movement
