The city flower of Lianyungang is the magnolia: learn about its characteristics and care methods

The city flower of Lianyungang is the magnolia. Magnolia, also known as white magnolia or spring-welcoming flower, is a deciduous tree of the family Magnoliaceae. Every year in early spring it blooms before its leaves emerge, and when it flowers the whole tree is covered in pure white, delicately fragrant blossoms; it is a common early-spring ornamental flowering tree in China. With its upright form and large white flowers, it symbolizes purity and aspiration, which matches the fresh, open character of this coastal port city, and so it was designated the city flower of Lianyungang.

There are quite a few common types of magnolia. Besides the pure white Yulan magnolia (Magnolia denudata), there is the purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora) with tepals that are purple outside and white inside, the saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) with its blend of white and purple, and the evergreen southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) that blooms in summer. In the Yuntai Mountain area of Lianyungang, ancient magnolias of great age still survive; when they bloom in early spring the whole tree turns silver-white, making a locally prized ornamental sight.

For magnolia care, choosing the right environment is key. It likes sunlight and has fairly good cold tolerance, and is best planted in deep, loose, fertile, well-drained soil, with slightly acidic to neutral soil being ideal. The magnolia has fleshy roots and fears waterlogging, so water it normally by letting the soil dry before watering again, and pay attention to drainage during the rainy season; its healing ability is weak, so heavy pruning is not advisable, and after flowering you need only thin out dead branches and overly dense branches.

It should be noted that although magnolia (yulan) and orchid (lanhua) both contain the character "lan" in their names, they are completely different types of plants. Orchids are mostly herbaceous potted flowers that demand meticulous care; magnolias are tall woody flowering trees, mostly used for courtyard, park and roadside landscaping. If a magnolia in your garden is slow to bloom, it is usually related to insufficient light, the plant still being young, or not yet having recovered after transplanting; with patient care for a few years, you will naturally see flowers.