Magnolia multiflora seed
LATIN NAME: Magnolia multiflora
COMMON NAME: Many-flowered Magnolia
The many-flowered magnolia blooms the creamy white, cup-shaped flowers among the broad, glossy green leaves, the dense, upright habit of the young tree, and the whole plant carries the clean, tropical elegance of the magnolia family. The flowers open in the late spring, large and fragrant, and the cone-like clusters of the red seeds follow through the autumn. The bark stays smooth and grey, the crown fills out with the handsome foliage, and the tree holds its place as one of the great garden magnolias. It likes the sun, the shelter, and the deep, rich, well-drained, slightly acid soil.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The magnolias sit near the base of the flowering-plant family tree, and the many-flowered species appears in the studies of the flower evolution for the simple, ancient structure. The researchers look at the seed biology and the nursery establishment, the breeders use it in the crosses for the fragrant, late-blooming garden forms, and the molecular work sorts out the relations inside the family. The lineage itself carries a quiet scientific prestige for the botanists.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
In the sheltered garden, the many-flowered magnolia is the centrepiece. The large, creamy flowers open fragrant in the late spring, the red seeds feed the birds in the autumn, and the glossy foliage holds its elegance through the year. The bark and the buds of the related magnolias have served the traditional medicine, and the larger species yield the useful timber. For the gardener, it is a tree of the quiet distinction that anchors the planting.
The many-flowered magnolia seeds start in a rich, leafy compost kept moist in a cool, bright spot. The young trees rise with the soft, downy shoots, and they grow on steadily through the first season. Keep them in the sheltered spot with the dappled shade, and give them the deep, rich, acid soil they like. They transplant well in the early spring, and the young trees soon carry the broad, glossy leaves. The first fragrant flowers come within the few years.
To grow the many-flowered magnolia from seed, sow the large, shiny seeds singly into the deep pot of rich, leafy compost, keep the pot in the bright, cool spot and water gently. The seedlings push up within a few weeks, and they grow on steadily. Settle the young trees into the deep, rich ground of the sheltered spot, and the fragrant flowers will bloom over the years.