Maggie

Magnolia 'Black Tulip'

• 
  Easy care

• Maggie likes...
  • 
    Moist soil

    Keep Maggie hydrated by giving her a regular drink when the top two inches of her soil feel dry. She won’t appreciate drying out completely.

  • 
    Moderate light

    Relatively unfussy in terms of light levels, Maggie can tolerate anything from full sun to partial shade. Full shade and she will sulk.

  • 
    Feeding

    If you’re growing Maggie in a pot, give her a feed once a month throughout the growing season, from May to October.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’

  Plant type

  Deciduous tree, outdoor

  Plant height (including pot)

  80-90cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Yes

  Nursery pot size

  23cm

• About magnolia

  A small tree that will give you a bang for your buck, Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ will stand out like a queen in your garden -  whether this be a patio or balcony - before most other plants have even got going. From early March to May large open flowers in a deep burgundy purple will decorate the bare branches of this elegant tree, giving you that maximum hit. What’s more, these flowers have a delicious fragrance, both to our noses, and to hungry pollinators just coming out of hibernation. To create a truly splendid Spring display, plant your tree into the ground or a big decorative pot and underplant it with spring flowering bulbs.

  But it’s not only its flowers that make Magnolia ‘Black Tulip a spectacle, from early winter, as your tree sheds its leaves, buds enclosed in a soft furry casing will sit, waiting, for the temperature to change. Enjoy watching as they shed their winter coats to reveal the velvety petaled flowers beneath. And after flowering, as the leaves emerge, unusual seed heads remain, adding ornamental value and giving this tree year-round interest. 

  While you can leave your tree in it's nursery pot and pop it directly into a decorative pot, you'll need to feed and water it regularly and repot it every year. If you're not planting your tree into the ground, we recommend planting it directly into a larger decorative pot that will give it plenty of space to grow, and which will prevent it from drying out too quickly. Magnolias are hungry trees so they will thank you for any extra plant food by rewarding you with a floral display to knock your socks off. 

  Really light on maintenance, you can give your tree the once-over in mid-summer, pruning out any dead, diseased, dying or crossing stems that might rub and cause a wound, making the tree vulnerable to bacterial or fungal infections. Your aim when pruning is to keep an open goblet shape that lets in plenty of light and air. 

  Did you know?

  Magnolias are one of the oldest genera of trees in the world, with fossilised species dating back millions of years having been found.