Michelia chapensis Seeds | Chap’s Michelia
LATIN NAME: Michelia chapensis
COMMON NAME: Chap’s Michelia
Plant Profile
Among the ornamental and useful plants raised from seed, Chap’s Michelia (Michelia chapensis) stands out as a tall, evergreen tree in the magnolia family. In evergreen woods of warm south, Chap’s michelia grows as a tall, evergreen tree with large, glossy, oval leaves and pale-yellow, fragrant flowers that open in early spring, cone-like fruit clusters holding bright-red seeds in the autumn. In time it steadily becomes a rounded crown, reaching 5-10 metres. Site it in full sun, in deep, fertile ground. At maturity it stands about 5-10 metres. All of this makes Chap”s Michelia a satisfying plant to grow and to get to know.
Science & Biotechnology
Michelia chapensis sits in the magnolia family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Chapensis magnolia has a real and distinguished place in the research. Little about its garden performance is mysterious; it has been grown and observed for a very long time.
Uses & Benefits
Chap’s Michelia works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Ecologically, chapensis magnolia is a generous tree of the garden. Its fragrant, creamy-white flowers feed bees and many insects, and its large, glossy, evergreen crown gives a fine, dense shade and a cover to birds through the year. Once settled, it thrives on neglect more than on fussing.
Michelia flowers are among the most fragrant in existence, perfuming temples and yielding absolute for fine perfumery; in southern Asia the flowers and bark have folk medicinal records.
Growing from Seed
Starting Chap’s Michelia from seed is simple and satisfying. Sow the seeds evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, keep the sowing evenly moist, and give the pot or tray full sun. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Being a tall, evergreen tree, it asks for a permanent spot and repays it yearly. Given full sun and free drainage, it asks for little routine attention.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Chap’s Michelia often pair it with these related subjects: