Magnolia grandiflora 'Victoria'

The Magnolia grandiflora 'Victoria' forms a small evergreen tree of beautiful stature with a pyramid-shaped silhouette that is both graphic and aesthetic. Its evergreen foliage of shiny dark green, contrasting with the rusty brown colour of the leaf undersides, is ornamental all year round. In summer, it produces regularly and staggered magnificent white flowers in large, fragrant cups, enchanting the long evenings outdoors. More hardy than most other varieties, it is suitable for small gardens due to its moderate growth. Deserving to be planted as a standalone on a short grass meadow, it will also integrate well into a diverse flower bed.

The Magnolia gave its name to the small family of Magnoliaceae, which includes the superb Tulip Trees, or Liriodendron, so named because of their tulip-shaped flowers. The good hundred species in the Magnolia genus are distributed among trees and shrubs, deciduous and evergreen, native to warm temperate regions around the globe. The Magnolia grandiflora is naturally found in the United States, from North Carolina to Florida and Texas. In these regions, it grows into a majestic tree, reaching heights of 15 to 20 m and with a more or less pyramidal habit.
'Victoria' is a cultivar selected primarily for its good cold resistance, allowing established specimens to withstand temperatures as low as -20°C or slightly lower under good conditions. Of ancient origin, it was first spotted in 1930 in British Columbia, a Canadian province whose capital is Victoria. It is particularly appreciated in central Europe, as it is more cold-resistant than others. Its hardiness is far from its only quality, as it is also very ornamental in every way, and its relative compactness allows it to be planted in most gardens, even small ones. With slow to medium growth, about 30 to 40 cm per year, it reaches approximately 5.50 m in height and 3.50 m in width after ten years of planting, with a conical habit. At maturity, its dimensions will be around 9 m in height and almost 8 m in spread, taking on a more pyramidal and graphic shape.
As with other varieties, the foliage is simply magnificent. The leaves are elliptical and of medium size, and their upper surface is a gleaming dark green. The undersides create a happy contrast with their rusty to orangish brown colour. Evergreen vegetation is ornamental throughout the year and forms a perfect dark background to enhance the flowering. This appears from July and continues until September. The large flowers, 16 to 20 cm in diameter, are pure white, formed by large sepals and petals of similar morphology (they are referred to as tepals for these reasons). These hermaphroditic flowers have male and female sexual parts, which form a small cone in the centre of the imposing corolla. Their charm, with a marked romanticism, is accompanied by a delightful fragrance that spreads throughout the garden during the beautiful season. This flowering is followed by the formation of large reddish cones, quite decorative, revealing red seeds.

The Magnolia 'Victoria' is a safe bet for gardens in cold regions and will also be appreciated in other climatic zones due to its many qualities. Plant it as a standalone on a short grass meadow or, if you lack space, integrate it into a diverse flower bed alongside other plants with similar needs. To extend the flowering period of your scene, add some Japanese Azaleas under its shade, whose vibrant trumpets will bloom in April and May. The relatively rare Cornus hongkongensis, a remarkable evergreen Dogwood, will transition with its white bracts in June-July, which appear like a colony of butterflies on the foliage. The evergreen foliage nevertheless takes on sumptuous winter colours, while decorative red fruits join the show! And for the end of the year, nothing beats a few Autumn Camellias (Camellia sasanqua), whose romantic and varied flowering comes in white, pink, red, and other shades during a season when flowers are scarce in the garden.