What exactly is the official flower name of the purple magnolia?

Purple Magnolia Tips

The purple magnolia is a deciduous shrub of the Magnoliaceae family and Magnolia genus, reaching 3 to 5 m tall when planted in the ground and 1 to 1.5 m tall in pots, often growing in clumps, with obovate or elliptical leaves and flowers borne singly at the tips of the branches, bell-shaped, with 9 tepals arranged in 3 whorls of 3, purple or purplish red, flowering in spring before the leaves emerge or with the leaves.

Growth Habits of the Purple Magnolia

The purple magnolia prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight; it is relatively cold-tolerant but not drought- or saline-alkali-tolerant, fears waterlogging, and requires fertile, well-drained sandy loam. The purple magnolia cannot grow in calcareous or chalky soils; its branches are weak, so it needs to be planted in a slightly shaded location; it has good wind resistance and is also highly tolerant of air pollution; the purple magnolia has a well-developed root system and strong suckering and sprouting ability, and tolerates pruning and shaping, but its healing ability is poor, so after pruning sulfur powder should be applied to prevent rot; its fleshy roots are easily damaged, so it is not easy to transplant, and if transplanting is needed it should be done in mild, humid weather in late autumn after leaf fall or in late spring after flowering. The purple magnolia needs frequent pruning and shaping, promptly removing diseased, damaged and dead branches, otherwise the tree shape will develop into a shrub form, which is also not conducive to the growth of flower buds.

Purple Magnolia Flowering

The purple magnolia is native to central China and has long been cultivated for ornamental purposes; it was a precious ornamental flower of the imperial courts and courtyards of Jiangnan in the past, with a cultivation history of more than 2,500 years. The purple magnolia blooms every year in early spring, with the flowers opening before the leaves or rarely at the same time as the leaves; although traces of winter remain on the deciduous branches, the branch tips are covered with graceful and luxurious purple flowers. Each blossom stands elegantly, as if carved from powder and jade, refined and graceful, vying in beauty. The scent is fragrant, the corolla is large, purple or purplish red, large, bell-shaped, with elegance showing through the purple, very delicate and charming, with an enticing fragrance. The flowers bloom for about one month, creating a magnificent sight. If the white magnolia is like a noble princess, then the purple magnolia is like a fashionable woman.

Uses of the Purple Magnolia

The flower buds of the purple magnolia can be used as medicine, and the flowers can be used to extract natural essence for making cosmetics. About 3 m tall, with flowers and leaves opening at the same time; in the Summer Palace in Beijing, there are purple magnolias over a hundred years old. This species is produced in Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan and other provinces. The flower buds of the purple magnolia are used as medicine; propagation is mostly by division, and its other habits and uses are the same as those of the white magnolia.