Magnolia lotungensis seed
LATIN NAME: Magnolia lotungensis
COMMON NAME: Eastern Joy Lotus Tree, Lotung Magnolia
The eastern joy lotus tree is one of the finest magnolias of southern China, and it is a tree of quiet, evergreen elegance. It grows as a tall, evergreen tree, reaching thirty metres, with a narrow, upright habit and a rounded crown of glossy, dark green leaves and, in late spring, large, creamy-white, fragrant flowers with a cluster of golden stamens, like many of the magnolias. It is a strong, healthy tree, remarkably easy to maintain, and in recent years it has become a popular street tree in a number of southern Chinese cities, valued for its strength, its neat, narrow growth and its tolerance of cold.
The eastern joy lotus tree belongs to the magnolia family, Magnoliaceae, and it is native to southern China, including the island of Hainan. It is a hexaploid evergreen tree, and in the wild it grows in forests from 700 to 1,400 metres above sea level.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing an eastern joy lotus tree from seed is easy and very rewarding. The seeds sit inside the cone-like fruiting heads that follow the flowers, and they are best sown fresh, since they lose vigour quickly. Clean the seed and sow it in pots of free-draining compost, about a centimetre deep, and keep it warm, bright and evenly moist. Germination usually begins within three to six weeks. Pot the seedlings on as they grow and plant them out in a sunny, sheltered spot in good, moist, well-drained soil. A seed-raised eastern joy lotus tree will grow into a fine, evergreen tree with its fragrant, creamy flowers.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The eastern joy lotus tree has a genuine and growing place in botanical and horticultural research. As a member of the magnolia family, one of the most ancient families of flowering plants, it is of interest in plant science, and researchers have studied its evolution, its genetics and its place among the magnolias, including the significance of its unusual hexaploid chromosome number. The tree has also been studied in conservation, since it is native to a limited region of southern China, and researchers have examined its wild populations and its cultivation, while in recent years it has become a popular street tree in southern Chinese cities, valued for its strength and its neat, narrow growth, so it has been studied in urban forestry and horticulture. For a tree of such ancient lineage and such modern promise, the eastern joy lotus tree has a steady and growing record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the eastern joy lotus tree is a valuable tree of the southern Chinese forest. Its fragrant flowers feed bees and other pollinators, its seeds feed birds, and its dense evergreen canopy gives shelter for wildlife throughout the year.
Its economic value lies mainly in horticulture and urban forestry. It has become a popular street tree in southern Chinese cities, valued for its strength, its easy maintenance and its neat, narrow growth, and it is also grown as an ornamental for its fragrant, creamy flowers. For a grower, the eastern joy lotus tree is a valuable and handsome tree, and for a gardener it brings evergreen elegance and the sweet fragrance of the magnolias.
Magnolia lotungensis & Parakmeria lotungensis