What are the alternative names for the purple magnolia? These names are very common.

Purple magnolia tips

The purple magnolia is a deciduous shrub of the genus Magnolia in the family Magnoliaceae. When planted in the ground it grows 3 to 5 m tall, and when grown in a pot it grows 1 to 1.5 m tall. It often forms clumps. The leaves are obovate or elliptical. The flowers are borne singly at the tips of the branches, bell-shaped, with 9 tepals arranged 3 per whorl, purple or purplish red. In spring it blooms before the leaves emerge, or flowers and leaves appear together.

Growth habits of the purple magnolia

The purple magnolia prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight. It is relatively cold-hardy, but not drought-tolerant or tolerant of saline-alkaline soil, and it fears waterlogging. It requires fertile, well-drained sandy loam. The purple magnolia cannot grow in calcareous or chalky soil. 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 it tolerates pruning and shaping, but its ability to heal wounds is poor, so after pruning sulfur powder must be applied to prevent rot. Its fleshy roots are easily damaged, so it is not easy to transplant; if transplanting is needed, it should be done in late autumn after leaf fall or in late spring after flowering under mild, humid weather. The purple magnolia needs regular branch pruning, promptly removing diseased, damaged and dead branches, otherwise the tree shape will tend toward a shrub form, which is also unfavorable for the growth of flower buds.

Purple magnolia flowering

Purple magnolia. The purple magnolia is native to central China and has long been cultivated for ornamental purposes. It was a precious ornamental flower in the court gardens 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 flowers opening before the leaves or rarely at the same time as the leaves. Although traces of winter still remain on the deciduous branches, the branch tips are covered with elegant and noble purple flowers. Each flower stands gracefully, as if carved from powder and jade, elegant and graceful, vying in beauty. The scent is fragrant, and the corolla is large, purple or purplish red, large and bell-shaped, with elegance showing through the purple, very delicate and charming, with an enticing fragrance. The flowers bloom for about one month, forming 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 essences for making cosmetics. At about 3 m tall, the flowers and leaves open at the same time. In the Summer Palace in Beijing, there are purple magnolias more than 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. Its other habits and uses are the same as those of the white magnolia.