What are the other names for the purple magnolia? Let's get to know these names together

Purple magnolia tips

Purple magnolia is a deciduous shrub of the genus Yulania in the family Magnoliaceae, growing 3 to 5 m tall in the ground and 1 to 1.5 m tall in pots, often forming clumps, with obovate or elliptic leaves, flowers solitary at the branch tips, bell-shaped, with 9 tepals arranged in 3 whorls of 3, purple or purplish red, blooming before the leaves in spring or with the leaves.

Growth habits of purple magnolia

Purple magnolia prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight, is relatively cold-tolerant, but not tolerant of drought or saline-alkaline soil, fears waterlogging, and requires fertile, well-drained sandy loam. 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; purple magnolia has a well-developed root system, strong sprouting and budding ability, and tolerates pruning and shaping, but its healing ability is poor, so sulfur powder should be applied after pruning 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. Purple magnolia needs regular pruning and shaping, promptly removing diseased, damaged and dead branches, otherwise the tree shape will tend toward a shrub form, which is also not conducive to the growth of flower buds.

Flowering of purple magnolia

Purple magnolia Purple magnolia originates from central China and has long been cultivated for ornamental purposes. It was a precious ornamental flower of imperial and courtyard gardens in Jiangnan in the past, with a cultivation history of more than 2,500 years. 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 still remain on the leafless 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, competing in beauty. The scent is fragrant, and the corolla is large, purple or purplish red, large, bell-shaped, with elegance showing through the purple, very delicate and charming, with an alluring fragrance. The flowers bloom for about one month, making a spectacular sight. If white magnolia is like a noble princess, then purple magnolia is like a fashionable woman.

Uses of purple magnolia

The flower buds of purple magnolia can be used as medicine, and the flowers can be used to extract natural essence 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 over a hundred years old. This species is produced in Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan and other provinces. The flower buds of purple magnolia are used as medicine, and propagation is mostly by division; its other habits and uses are the same as those of white magnolia.