Magnolia 'BLACK BEAUTY'

Black Beauty magnolia is another brooklynensis hybrid from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, USA, which, surprisingly, does not bear yellow flowers. It is a cross of m.acuminata (cucumber magnolia with yellow flowers) and m.liliiflora (lily magnolia with rosy red flowers). It produces 10-20 cm tall, erect flowers that are deep purple red outside and almost white inside, just like Old Port or March Till Frost. Petals are narrow and thick, and the flowers never open wide and remain half-open like a lily. The fragrance is faint.

Blooming begins early, though yet a little later than soulangeana hybrids or stellatas which gives it a good chance to escape late frosts. Black Beauty forms an upright, broadly egg-shaped, densely branched shrub. It looks great as a small specimen, in an ericaceous border, as well as in a mixed hedge where it offers a good screening capacity during the growing season (it is deciduous).

Magnolias are not supposed to be pruned. You can prune old shrubs if ill, or trim them to shape or to reduce size, or make an elementary cut to young plants of unsightly or unhealthy appearance. Do this as soon as possible after flowering to secure setting of flower buds for the following year. Be aware that each magnolia can respond differently to pruning.

Deciduous magnolias are quite easy plants. All they need is light, well-drained, acidic soil with equal moisture throughout the year. Once established they can do with occasional drought but will not look as nice as the ones with regular watering. Just pay attention to how to plant your magnolia. First, find it a spot where it will live forever and ever. It does not like transplanting. And as it makes shallow roots reaching well over its spread stay away from disturbing the roots by digging or messing about around it. Just cover the soil with bark mulch and do not plant anything else near it after say the second year after planting onwards. You could damage the very important top roots that absorb maximum moisture and nutrients from the soil. Also avoid planting magnolia too deep. Thus you could be digging its grave. Expected hardiness is between -27 and -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 09-06-2020