Magnolia laevifolia Seeds | Michelia Yunnanensis
LATIN NAME: Magnolia laevifolia
COMMON NAME: Yunnan Michelia, Smooth-Leaved Michelia
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Yunnan Michelia (Magnolia laevifolia) is an evergreen shrub in the magnolia family, native to south-central China. The Yunnan michelia is a handsome and fragrant evergreen of the Chinese gardens, and its white, cup-shaped flowers and its neat, glossy foliage have made it a valued plant of small garden and the hedge. At maturity it stands about Seven metres. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
Botanists studying the magnolia family regularly include Magnolia laevifolia in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. Species has also been studied in ecology, since it is a plant of the south-central China, and its growth and its role in landscape have been examined. Continuing work by breeders and collectors keeps good seed of this species moving through the trade.
Uses & Benefits
Yunnan Michelia works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Ecologically, the Yunnan michelia is a handsome plant of the Chinese gardens. Its fragrant, white flowers feed bees and insects, and its glossy foliage gives cover, while it is a neat presence in gardens and hedges of the south-central China and warm world. For a grower, the Yunnan michelia is an easy and rewarding plant, and for a gardener in a warm, temperate region it brings glossy foliage and fragrant, white bloom. In later seasons it demands little more than an appreciative eye.
Magnolia bark, Hou Po, is a major Chinese herb for moving qi, easing fullness and calming wheeze, and its honokiol and magnolol are among the most studied natural anxiolytic compounds, now appearing in modern supplements and even toothpaste.
Growing from Seed
Yunnan Michelia grows readily from seed. Use a loose, well-drained seed compost, sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly, and keep everything evenly moist in bright light. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
Yunnan Michelia, Smooth-Leaved Michelia is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Keep the sowing evenly moist at the start — that is the one real requirement.
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