Michelia maudiae seed
LATIN NAME: MICHELIA MAUDIAE
COMMON NAME: Maud”s Michelia
In the evergreen forests of the warm south, Maud”s michelia grows as a tall, evergreen tree with the large, glossy, oval leaves and the big, fragrant, pure-white, cup-shaped flowers that open in the early spring, the cone-like fruit clusters holding the bright-red seeds in the autumn. The plant grows a narrow, conical crown, growing to fifteen metres. Site it in full sun, in deep, fertile ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Maud”s michelia holds a place in the studies of the magnolia family of the south, its fragrant white cups and its red seeds keeping it in view in the work on the spring-flowering trees of the warm forests and the ornamental magnolias of the region. The research looks at the way the white cups open before the new leaves, the red seeds hang from the cones, and the seed biology of the oily, red-coated seeds.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
In the sheltered garden and the courtyard, Maud”s michelia fills the early spring with the large, fragrant, white cups that open among the glossy leaves and then sets the red seeds that the birds take in the autumn. The stately evergreen gives a deep shade, and the tree makes the fine spring specimen, the fragrant tree and the tree of the sheltered, warm garden. It is a tree for the sheltered, shaded, deep and fertile place.
To grow the Maud”s Michelia from seed, sow the seeds at once, fresh from the ripe red pods, on leafy soil.
Sow the seeds at once, fresh from the ripe red pods, on leafy soil, and keep the young michelia in the shaded, sheltered spot. The white cups open with the early spring.
LATIN NAME: Magnolia maudiae
COMMON NAME: Smiling Monkey Forest Tree, Mauds Magnolia
Mauds magnolia is one of the finest evergreen magnolias of China, and its white, fragrant flowers are a delight of the southern forest. It grows into a compact, leafy clump, reaching thirty to sixty centimetres. It is a tree of great beauty and presence, and it has become a popular ornamental in suitable gardens, valued for its handsome evergreen foliage and its fragrant spring bloom.
Mauds magnolia belongs to the magnolia family, Magnoliaceae, and it is native to southern China, including Hainan. It grows in the evergreen broadleaf forests from 600 to 1,500 metres above sea level.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing Mauds magnolia 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 sheltered, partly shaded spot in good, moist, well-drained soil, protecting them from harsh cold and drying winds. A seed-raised Mauds magnolia will grow into a handsome evergreen with fragrant white flowers.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Mauds magnolia 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. The tree has also been studied in horticulture for its value as an ornamental, valued for its handsome evergreen foliage, its early, fragrant white flowers and its well-shaped habit, and it has been introduced to gardens in suitable climates. The species 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. For a tree of such evergreen beauty and such ancient lineage, Mauds magnolia has a steady and growing record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, Mauds magnolia is a valuable tree of the southern Chinese forest. Its fragrant white flowers feed bees and other pollinators in early spring, its seeds feed birds, and its dense evergreen canopy gives shelter for wildlife throughout the year.
Its economic value lies mainly in horticulture. It is grown as an ornamental for its handsome evergreen foliage and its fragrant white spring flowers, and it is valued in the gardens of suitable climates, while the magnolias as a whole are among the most beloved flowering trees in the world. For a grower, Mauds magnolia is a valuable and handsome tree, and for a gardener it brings evergreen elegance and sweet fragrance in early spring.
Scarification: Soak in water, let stand in water for 24 hours. Germination: sow seed 3/8″ deep, tamp the soil, mulch the seed bed.