Hi - I wonder if anyone can give me some advice. I purchased a magnolia at
a garden centre yesterday - Heaven Scent. This was the only one of this
variety that they had although they had many other varieties in flower.

The shrub\tree is approx 5ft 6inches tall and is covered in leave bud but no
flower bud to be seen. Now I have planted it I am a little worried that I
have bought one that is 'sterile' or non flowering as so many of the other
varieties at the centre were in flower.

Is is possible for a magnolia to be non flowering - are there male\female
magnolias.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Ann

In article ,
says...
Hi - I wonder if anyone can give me some advice. I purchased a magnolia at
a garden centre yesterday - Heaven Scent. This was the only one of this
variety that they had although they had many other varieties in flower.

The shrub\tree is approx 5ft 6inches tall and is covered in leave bud but no
flower bud to be seen. Now I have planted it I am a little worried that I
have bought one that is 'sterile' or non flowering as so many of the other
varieties at the centre were in flower.

Is is possible for a magnolia to be non flowering - are there male\female
magnolias.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Ann

No tree flowers befor it's reached sexual maturity, and I have never had
a tree or shrub that flowered the same year it was planted, unless it
was already in flower at the nursery.

I don't really think plants like being moved when they're flowering, but
some nurseries sell them like that to make them more attractive.

But anyway, I don't think magnolias blossom before they leaf like fruit
trees do. Isn't a magnolia a later flowerer?

Male and female of sexually reproducing plants both flower, that's how
the pollen gets transferred. The gender difference is in the seeding or
fruiting.

"......... But anyway, I don't think magnolias blossom before they leaf like
fruit trees do. Isn't a magnolia a later flowerer? ..."

Sorry but you are wrong.
Many Magnolias flower before the leaves start, My Stelata was in flower 4
weeks ago and still no leaves.
This magnolia in question is the same,
see http://www.esveld.nl/htmldia/m/mahsen.htm



http://www.esveld.nl/htmldia/m/mahsen.htm

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

In article , Ann
writes
Hi - I wonder if anyone can give me some advice. I purchased a magnolia at
a garden centre yesterday - Heaven Scent. This was the only one of this
variety that they had although they had many other varieties in flower.

The shrub\tree is approx 5ft 6inches tall and is covered in leave bud but no
flower bud to be seen. Now I have planted it I am a little worried that I
have bought one that is 'sterile' or non flowering as so many of the other
varieties at the centre were in flower.

It might be too young - some flower at a few years old, some flower a
lot older.

And there are different species of magnolia that flower at different
times of the year.

Is is possible for a magnolia to be non flowering - are there male\female
magnolias.

I don't think so. The flower has both male and female organs.

Even plants with male and female separate need both a female and a male
flower - how showy it is depends on the pollinator, but if it relies on
insects or birds for pollination it will need a fairly showy male flower
to attract the pollinator to pick up the pollen, and a showy female to
attract the pollinator to dump the pollen on the female flower.

Wind pollinated flowers don't need to be so showy, eg hazel catkins are
male flowers, but the female flowers are tiny little tufts of bright red
- hard to spot unless you're looking for them.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , Inge Jones
writes

But anyway, I don't think magnolias blossom before they leaf like fruit
trees do. Isn't a magnolia a later flowerer?

Depends on species. M soulangiana, M stellata are both in flower at the
moment (my stellata is just going over), M grandiflora is later.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

The message
from Inge Jones contains these words:

In article ,
says...
Hi - I wonder if anyone can give me some advice. I purchased a
magnolia at
a garden centre yesterday - Heaven Scent. This was the only one of this
variety that they had although they had many other varieties in flower.

The shrub\tree is approx 5ft 6inches tall and is covered in leave
bud but no
flower bud to be seen. Now I have planted it I am a little worried that I
have bought one that is 'sterile' or non flowering as so many of the other
varieties at the centre were in flower.

If it was never going to flower, it wouldn't be
(expensively)propagated for sale.

are there male\female
magnolias.

No.

I have never had
a tree or shrub that flowered the same year it was planted, unless it
was already in flower at the nursery.

Then you must be a very inexperienced gardener. It's perfectly
possible to buy/plant bare trees/shrubs in winter, when they are not
flowering, and have them flower in their first growing season in their
new home.

I don't really think plants like being moved when they're flowering, but
some nurseries sell them like that to make them more attractive.

You're mistaken again. Plants grown in pots move perfectly well at any
time of year.

But anyway, I don't think magnolias blossom before they leaf like fruit
trees do.

Many of the spring-flowering magnolias flower before they leaf.
Not all fruit trees do.

Isn't a magnolia a later flowerer?

Depends which kind it is.

Male and female of sexually reproducing plants both flower, that's how
the pollen gets transferred. The gender difference is in the seeding or
fruiting.

??????????? What does that mean?

You are quite wrong to imply that all sexually reproducing plants are
either male OR female, and only female plants fruit or seed.

Janet.

Kay Easton25/4/04 3:41

In article , Inge Jones
writes

But anyway, I don't think magnolias blossom before they leaf like fruit
trees do. Isn't a magnolia a later flowerer?

Depends on species. M soulangiana, M stellata are both in flower at the
moment (my stellata is just going over), M grandiflora is later.

M. wiesnerei doesn't flower until around June. M. delavayi goes from mid
summer to autumn.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 22:41:46 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

M. wiesnerei doesn't flower until around June. M. delavayi goes from mid
summer to autumn.

Don't forget Magnolia sieboldii - comely, egg shaped buds, opening to
pendulous, cupped flowers with very showy crimson stamens. It is
fragrant, flowers when small and commences from late spring, carrying
on into the autumn. If that weren't enough, the flowers go on to
produce attractive reddish pink seed capsules that split to reveal
orange seeds. Utterly fabulous and one of the best!

In article , Dave Poole
writes
On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 22:41:46 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

M. wiesnerei doesn't flower until around June. M. delavayi goes from mid
summer to autumn.

Don't forget Magnolia sieboldii - comely, egg shaped buds, opening to
pendulous, cupped flowers with very showy crimson stamens. It is
fragrant, flowers when small and commences from late spring, carrying
on into the autumn. If that weren't enough, the flowers go on to
produce attractive reddish pink seed capsules that split to reveal
orange seeds. Utterly fabulous and one of the best!

Is it fussy as to location? Would it be happy in cold clay in
Yorkshire?
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 23:48:02 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

Don't forget Magnolia sieboldii

Is it fussy as to location? Would it be happy in cold clay in
Yorkshire?

No Magnolias are truly happy on cold heavy clay - their thick almost
succulent roots struggle to penetrate it and are even prone to rotting
during prolonged periods of very wet weather. That said, if you
lighten the soil somewhat by incorporating plenty of organic matter
there is no reason why this species should not do well with you.

Ideal soil conditions are rich, moist yet free draining soil with
above average humus content and a ph of around 6.5. I know of plenty
of very fine young trees that grow well in less than ideal conditions,
so give it a go.

It is a fast grower, easily propagated from cuttings and from a
nurseryman's point of view, makes a saleable plant in around 18 - 24
months. This should be reflected in the price, but rarely does this
happen.

HTH

Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Drop 'h' when mailing
Growing season: March - November

In article , Janet Baraclough.
.. writes
The message
from Inge Jones contains these words:

In article ,
says...

Male and female of sexually reproducing plants both flower, that's how
the pollen gets transferred. The gender difference is in the seeding or
fruiting.

??????????? What does that mean?

You are quite wrong to imply that all sexually reproducing plants are
either male OR female, and only female plants fruit or seed.

I think he was trying to correct the impression that one could have
gained from the OP that if there are separate male and female plants,
one or other of them might not bear flowers.

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 22:41:46 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

Kay Easton25/4/04 3:41
@scarbo ro.demon.co.uk

In article , Inge Jones
writes

But anyway, I don't think magnolias blossom before they leaf like fruit
trees do. Isn't a magnolia a later flowerer?

Depends on species. M soulangiana, M stellata are both in flower at the
moment (my stellata is just going over), M grandiflora is later.

M. wiesnerei doesn't flower until around June. M. delavayi goes from mid
summer to autumn.

At Castle Howard the woods are full of flowering magnolias at the
moment.

Dave Poole wrote
Don't forget Magnolia sieboldii

I think I'm ill. IRTA "Magnolia Shedholdil"

In article , Dave Poole
writes
On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 23:48:02 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

Don't forget Magnolia sieboldii

Is it fussy as to location? Would it be happy in cold clay in
Yorkshire?

No Magnolias are truly happy on cold heavy clay - their thick almost
succulent roots struggle to penetrate it and are even prone to rotting
during prolonged periods of very wet weather. That said, if you
lighten the soil somewhat by incorporating plenty of organic matter
there is no reason why this species should not do well with you.

Ideal soil conditions are rich, moist yet free draining soil with
above average humus content and a ph of around 6.5. I know of plenty
of very fine young trees that grow well in less than ideal conditions,
so give it a go.

Thanks! Our M stellata is doing well (had it around 10 years), so it
looks as if M sieboldii would be worth a try.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 11:39:26 +0100, "Ann" wrote:

Hi - I wonder if anyone can give me some advice. I purchased a magnolia at
a garden centre yesterday - Heaven Scent. This was the only one of this
variety that they had although they had many other varieties in flower.

The shrub\tree is approx 5ft 6inches tall and is covered in leave bud but no
flower bud to be seen. Now I have planted it I am a little worried that I
have bought one that is 'sterile' or non flowering as so many of the other
varieties at the centre were in flower.

Is is possible for a magnolia to be non flowering - are there male\female
magnolias.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Ann

M.'Heaven Scent' can be described as a tree magnolia, as opposed to
many of the other popular types such as 'Stellata' or 'Soulangeana'
which may be described as tall shrubs. As such, it will probably take
longer to reach flowering size than these others. It has lavender
scented flowers, I believe, white inside and pink outside.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net