Magnolia 'GENIE'

Genie is a sensational new magnolia from New Zealand. After 15 years of breeding there is eventually a plant that holds its deep red-purple colour well and offers prolonged flowering period. The hybridizing process was truly awesome, if you are interested in how this jewel came to life follow its history of crossing:
Sweet Simplicity x liliiflora Nigra = Breeder
Breeder x Black Tulip = Sweet Valentine
Breeder x Sweet Valentine = Genie

Genie has deep red, almost black buds that open into medium-sized flowers with 6-12 petals that open into 10-15 cm wide, cup-shaped, lotus-like flowers. It starts flowering in the middle of magnolia season and continues almost into summer when it offers a few extra flowers on the background of deep green, healthy foliage. It grows slowly about 3m tall and wide in a regular pyramidal shape. Genie flowers already as a two-year old seedling.

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. It is fully hardy to -27°C and supposed to survive -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 06-02-2009