Magnolia laevifolia Achteraan - smooth-leaved Magnolia

Magnolia laevifolia Achteraan is a shrub of modest dimensions and slow growth that has a beautiful upright and compact habit and is adorned with a beautiful dark green glossy foliage, even in winter. In spring, it bears pretty velvety and golden buds that open into large, fragrant cream-coloured cups surrounding a bouquet of prominent yellow stamens. This flowering gives rise to a decorative pink and purple fruiting. A rare plant, well suited for ornamenting small gardens and for growing in large pots on a terrace or balcony.

Magnolia Achteraan is a descendant of Michelia yunnanensis, a bush closely related to the Magnolia native to China. All these plants belong to the Magnoliaceae family. Michelia yunnanensis is also known as Magnolia laevifolia. The 'Achteraan' cultivar distinguishes itself from its wild ancestor with its more compact habit and darker green foliage. It is a small, dense and bushy tree with a rather pyramidal crown. It has evergreen foliage composed of oval and rounded, glossy and leathery leaves, of a beautiful dark green colour. The undersides of the leaves are velvety brown. Slow growing, in our climate it reaches a height of about 2m to 2.50m with a spread of 1m to 2m. From April to May, it is adorned along its branches with velvety camel-coloured buds that open into large cream-coloured corollas, magnified by a prominent light yellow stamen heart, exuding a delicious lemony scent. The flowering is followed by decorative fruiting in the form of pink pods, opening to reveal shiny purple seeds.

This Magnolia Achteraan, very rare in cultivation, is a bush of great ornamental value perfectly suited to gardens of all sizes, even small ones. It can even be grown on a terrace or balcony in a container, provided it is large enough and regular watering is ensured. In the garden, it can be planted as a specimen on a lawn, but also inserted into a group of bushes or at the back of a border. It will also find its place in a flowering hedge. This species is easily suited to topiary art. Pair it with bushes or perennial plants with white and yellow flowers to brighten up your flowerbeds or hedges! It will accompany all ericaceous shrubs (Rhododendrons, Japanese or Chinese Azaleas, Hydrangeas), Magellan Fuchsias, Japanese Anemones or lilies. At its base, you can plant e.g. Japanese Grasses or Liriopes.