Magnolia x lobneri 'Leonard Messel' (Leonard Messel Magnolia)
Botanical Information
| Family | Magnoliaceae |
| Genus | Magnolia |
| Species | x lobneri |
| Cultivar | 'Leonard Messel' |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Tree (deciduous), Shrub (deciduous) |
| Origin | Raised at what is now the National Trust garden, Nymans at Sussex sometime before 1950. It is thought to be a cross between M. kobus and M. stellata var. rosea. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 4 - 8 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 5 - 8a |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H7 - H4 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | (-32) - (-7) |
| Temperature (°F) | (-25) - 20 |
| Height | 4.5 - 6 m |
| Spread | 4.5 - 6 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | March, April |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | Single or multi-stemmed densely branched plant with a broad crown. Slow growing, small in size. White to pink flowers emerge before leaves in spring. |
| Shape | Often multi-stemmed, oval or rounded crown. |
| Landscape | Great for small spaces and is easy to maintain. Beautiful accent plant or single specimen for maximum display purposes. |
| Propagation | By grafting, softwood cuttings in spring or early summer, and semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and autumn. |
| Cultivation | Grow in moist but well-drained neutral to acid soil in sun or partial shade. Late frosts may damage flower buds. |
| Notable Specimens | Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The Mac Cuddy Botanic Garden, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. |
| Habitat | Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Smooth, silver and grey on mature plants, chestnut brown on young branches. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Densely fuzzy 1-1.5 cm long flower buds and smaller vegetative buds are greyish green in colour and grow alternately along the branch. |
| Leaf Description | Alternate, sometimes whorled at the terminal, simple, broadly oval to oblong, 4.5-10 cm long and half the width, dark green above and light green beneath with fine hairs on the mid-rib. The 7-9 mm long petiole is light green. |
| Flower Description | Faintly aromatic, white and pink flowers, 7.5-10 cm wide, 5 - 20 tepals, 3-4 cm long, slender and wavy. Flowers before leaves emerge which can get late frost damage if not grown in a protected area. Staggered blooming period in early spring. |
| Fruit Description | Reddish-green, knobby aggregate fruit , about 5 cm long. Often drops before fully developed. Fruit mature and open in autumn at slits to reveal red-orange seeds. |
| Texture Description | Medium to dark green in the summer, turning to yellow-bronze in early autumn. |
Photographs
Magnolia x lobneri 'Leonard Messel', form, Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Magnolia x lobneri 'Leonard Messel', flower, Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Magnolia x lobneri 'Leonard Messel', flower, Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Magnolia x lobneri 'Leonard Messel' in the Mac Cuddy Botanic Garden, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada.
Magnolia x lobneri 'Leonard Messel' in the Mac Cuddy Botanic Garden, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada.
Magnolia x lobneri 'Leonard Messel' in the Mac Cuddy Botanic Garden, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada.
Awards
