Magnolia Cultivars M

'Mag's Pirouette'

See Magnolia × loebneri ‘Mag’s Pirouette’.

'Majestic Beauty'

See Magnolia grandiflora ‘Majestic Beauty’.

'Manchu Fan'

Flowers precocious, goblet-shaped; tepals 9, broad, white with a small purplish-pink stain at the base. A small to medium tree, floriferous and upright, one of the original Gresham hybrids (Edwards & Marshall 2019).

Magnolia 'Manchu Fan' (Arboretum Wespelaar, 12th April 2016). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Like many other Gresham hybrids, Magnolia 'Manchu Fan' is more often grown in Europe than North America (Arboretum Wespelaar, 14th April 2015). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Manchu Fan' (Arboretum Wespelaar, 12th April 2016). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Maráczy'

See Magnolia kobus ‘Maráczy’.

'March Til Frost'

Flowers primarily from axillary buds, the main flush before the leaves but continuing irregularly through the summer, cup-shaped, later splaying open, quite small; tepals red-purple outside, paler inside; later flowers often darker. A large, dense, upright shrub selected in 1997 by August Kehr, NC (Edwards & Marshall 2019).

Magnolia 'March Til Frost' (Arboretum Wespelaar, 10th April 2017). Image Christophe Crock.

MARDI GRAS™

See Magnolia virginiana ‘Mattie Mae Smith’.

'Margaret Helen'

Flowers precocious, over a long season, cup-and-saucer- to bowl-shaped; tepals 12, warm red-pink paling with age. A large, upright, multistemmed shrub or small tree raised in the early 1990s by Vance Hooper working at Duncan & Davies, New Zealand, and named for his mother.

Magnolia 'Margaret Helen': newly opened flowers are richly coloured (10th April 2016). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Flowers of Magnolia 'Margaret Helen' become paler with age (24th April 2010). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Marillyn'

Flowers precocious, over about 4 weeks (late March to April in S England), erect and tulip-shaped, to 13 cm across, lightly fragrant; tepals 6, rich red-purple outside, inside pink with purplish veins. A medium to large multistemmed shrub, a triploid (2n=57) from a cross made in 1954 by Evamaria Sperber at Brooklyn Botanic Garden; introduced 1989 and named for Marillyn Wilson, a trustee of the garden. Its hardiness (perhaps even to USDA zone 4 – Ledvina 2005) is significant (Koerting 2000).

Magnolia 'Marillyn' (The Morton Arboretum, 1st May 2015). Image Matt Lobdell / The Morton Arboretum.

Magnolia 'Marillyn' (The Morton Arboretum, 1st May 2015). Image Matt Lobdell / The Morton Arboretum.

'Marjory Gossler'

Flowers precocious (mid to late March in S England), cup-shaped, to 30 cm across, fragrant; tepals 7–8, white stained pink at the base outside. A fast growing medium tree, a hardier alternative to M. × veitchii, raised before 1987 by Phil Savage, MI. Named for a member of the family team running Gossler Farms, OR, from where Savage acquired pollen used in the cross (Gossler Farms Nursery 2022). Highly rated by Philippe de Spoelberch, Belgium (pers. comm. 2021).

Magnolia 'Marjorie Gossler' (Arboretum Wespelaar, 19th March 2014). Image Christophe Crock.

Magnolia 'Marjorie Gossler' (Arboretum Wespelaar, 19th March 2014). Image Christophe Crock.

Magnolia 'Marjorie Gossler' (Arboretum Wespelaar, 3rd April 2016). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Mark Jury'

Flowers precocious, March to early April in S England, cup-and-saucer-shaped to 27 cm across, rich pink outside, cream with a hint of lavender inside. A small to medium pyramidal tree received by Felix Jury, New Zealand, as M. campbellii ‘Lanarth’ from Hillier Nurseries in the 1950s. It proved to be a hybrid seedling, probably with M. sargentiana. An important pollen parent of the earlier Jury hybrids (q.v.), it is named for Jury’s son who continues the breeding work (Jury 2017; Jury & Jury 2021).

Magnolia 'Mark Jury' (13th April 2015). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Mark Jury': wrongly named seedlings sent out by nurseries can result in serendipitous finds such as this, as well as frustration (Tikorangi, New Zealand, 26th August 2012). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia 'Mark Jury' can make a significantly sized tree (Tikorangi, New Zealand, 31st August 2012). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia 'Mark Jury': the large flowers are endlessly photogenic (13th April 2015). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Marwood Spring'

See Magnolia sprengeri ‘Marwood Spring’.

'Mary Nell'

Flowers precocious, cup-shaped to 25 cm across; tepals thick and fleshy, 9, white stained purplish-pink at the base outside. A vigorous, multistemmed small tree or large shrub. A Gresham hybrid named 1986 by Ken Durio, LA; Mary Nell McDaniel was married to arch-magnolia-enthusiast Joe McDaniel.

Magnolia 'Mary Nell' (4th April 2005). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Mary Nell' is a vigorous grower (18th April 2010). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Maryland'

Evergreen, widely spreading, large shrub or small tree, much resembling M. grandiflora. Fragrant white flowers in summer, opening to a cup. Tetraploid (2n=76), from a controlled cross made in 1930 by Oliver Freeman of the US National Arboretum, named 1959 (compare ‘Freeman’ of the same origin, which is a narrower plant with smaller flowers which open less readily, and smaller leaves). ‘Interesting hybrid’ notes Philippe de Spoelberch (pers. comm. 2021).

Magnolia 'Maryland', a hybrid between the North American M. virginiana and M. grandiflora (Arboretum Wespelaar, 5th July 2018). Image Laura Wester.

Magnolia 'Maryland' has evergreen leaves and fragrant flowers in summer (Arboretum Wespelaar, 7th June 2018). Image Laura Wester.

The evergreen Magnolia 'Maryland' develops a broad crown with maturity (19th November 2017). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Mattie Mae Smith'

See Magnolia virginiana ‘Mattie Mae Smith’.

'Maxine Merrill'

Flowers more or less precocious and abundant, yellow, cup shaped before splaying open; tepals 6. Large shrub or small tree raised by Phil Savage, MI, before 1999.

Magnolia 'Maxine Merrill' (11th April 2011). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

An ageing flower on Magnolia 'Maxine Merrill' at Cherry Tree Arboretum, Shropshire, UK. 11 May 2023. Image Tom Christian.

'Mayer'

See Magnolia virginiana ‘Mayer’.

'Melissa Parris'

Evergreen or tardily deciduous, depending on climate and season. Flowers with the leaves in June, initially cup-shaped, opening to 20 cm across, fragrant; outer tepals rose pink, inner tepals variably white and pale pink, giving a bicoloured effect. Upright small tree, hardiness not yet fully tested. A Dennis Ledvina intersectional hybrid grown and selected by Kevin Parris, SC. US Plant Patent 29707 granted 2018 (Google Patents 2016).

Magnolia 'Melissa Parris' (26th May 2020). Image The Morton Arboretum.

MERCURY^®

See Magnolia Cultivars N–O ‘NCMX1’.

'Merrill'

See Magnolia × loebneri ‘Merrill’.

'Mgwat2011b'

Flowers precocious, to 20 cm across, bright purplish-pink with 9–12 tepals. A small, upright tree flowering from a young age, bred by Vance Hooper, New Zealand, before 2019 (Plantipp 2022). Protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights.

'Michael Rosse'

Flowers precocious, cup-and-saucer shaped with reflexing outer tepals, soft purple-pink. The original at Nymans, Sussex, was a beautiful, upright, medium tree of 12 m × 109 cm in 2016 (The Tree Register 2022). Received as a seedling from Hillier Nurseries (ex Caerhays Castle) as M. campbellii Alba Group, acquired for Nymans by Anne Parsons, later named for her late husband the 6th Earl of Rosse nicknamed ‘The Adonis of the Peerage’ (Wikipedia 2022). ‘Princess Margaret’ as well as the little-known ‘Moresk’ are comparable, both derived from M. campbellii Alba Group seed from Caerhays.

'Micjur01'

Evergreen michelia hybrid. Buds lateral as well as terminal, with rufous hairs. Flowers in spring, continuing through the summer, blush from pink buds, less coloured later. A dense large shrub or small tree, amenable to clipping once or twice per year and marketed in part as ornamental hedging (Anthony Tesselaar Plants 2022). Bred by Mark Jury, New Zealand, who is ‘positively evasive’ over the details of breeding (Jury & Jury 2021), but the species contributing to the breeding line are M. doltsopa, M. figo and M. laevifolia; introduced 2008, protected by New Zealand and European plant breeder’s rights (Jury 2017; Jury & Jury 2021).

Magnolia 'Micjur01' (FAIRY MAGNOLIA BLUSH) in New Zealand (22nd September 2020). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA BLUSH flowers well after pruning or being trimmed as a hedge (14th September 2015). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA BLUSH (New Zealand, 22nd September 2020). Image Abbie Jury.

Flowers of Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA BLUSH are less strongly coloured, even on first opening, in the cool climate of the English Lake District (Holehird Gardens, Cumbria, UK; 29 May 2019). Image Julian Sutton.

'Micjur02'

Evergreen michelia hybrid. Buds lateral as well as terminal, with rufous hairs. Cream flowers to 10 cm across in spring, continuing through the summer, fragrant. A dense large shrub or small tree, amenable to clipping once or twice per year and marketed in part as ornamental hedging (Anthony Tesselaar Plants 2022). Bred by Mark Jury, New Zealand, who is ‘positively evasive’ over the details of breeding (Jury & Jury 2021), but the species contributing to the breeding line are M. doltsopa, M. figo and M. laevifolia; introduced 2013, protected by New Zealand and European plant breeder’s rights (Jury 2017; Jury & Jury 2021).

Magnolia 'Micjur02' (FAIRY MAGNOLIA CREAM) at Tikorangi, New Zealand (13th September 2020). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA CREAM (Tikorangi, 13th September 2020). Image Abbie Jury.

'Micjur05'

Evergreen michelia hybrid. Buds lateral as well as terminal, with rufous hairs. Flowers from late winter to spring, fragrant, pure white. A bushy large shrub or small tree, amenable to clipping. Bred by Mark Jury, New Zealand, who is ‘positively evasive’ over the details of breeding (Jury & Jury 2021), but the species contributing to the breeding line are at least M. doltsopa and M. laevifolia; larger flowered but less hardy than than ‘Jurmag01’ and ‘Jurmag02’ which have a smaller M. doltsopa input. Introduced 2013, protected by New Zealand and European plant breeder’s rights (Jury 2017; Jury & Jury 2021).

Magnolia 'Micjur05' (FAIRY MAGNOLIA WHITE) at Tikorangi, New Zealand (27th August 2017). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA WHITE at Caerhays Castle, with flowers open earlier in the season than either M. doltsopa or M. laevifolia (1st March 2022). Image Julian Sutton.

Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA WHITE (Tikorangi, New Zealand; 16th August 2019). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA WHITE grown as standards (Tikorangi, New Zealand; 21st July 2019). Image Abbie Jury.

A young but freely flowering specimen of Magnolia FAIRY MAGNOLIA WHITE at Caerhays Castle (1st March 2022). Image Julian Sutton.

'Milky Way'

Flowers precocious, late March to April in S England, large and fragrant; tepals thick, white, flushed soft pink at the base. A small to medium tree, flowering prolifically from a young age, raised by Felix Jury, New Zealand, introduced 1988. ‘Athene’ and ‘Lotus’ share this parentage (Jury 2017; Jury & Jury 2021). Starred as worthwhile by Philippe de Spoelberch, Belgium (pers. comm. 2021).

Magnolia 'Milky Way' in the Valley Gardens, April 2009. Image John Grimshaw.

Magnolia 'Milky Way' (Tikorangi, New Zealand; 14th September 2015). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia 'Milky Way' in the Valley Gardens, April 2009. Image John Grimshaw.

Magnolia 'Milky Way' (Tikorangi, New Zealand; 4th September 2012). Image Abbie Jury.

Magnolia 'Milky Way' bursting forth (RHS Garden Wisley, UK, 8 March 2024). Image John Grimshaw.

'Milton'

See Magnolia virginiana ‘Milton’.

MINI MOUSE

See Magnolia laevifolia ‘GCCHU2008’.

'Minrose'

See Magnolia denudata ‘Minrose’.

'Miss Honeybee'

See Magnolia acuminata ‘Miss Honeybee’.

'Mister Yellowjacket'

See Magnolia acuminata ‘Mister Yellowjacket’.

'Mixed up Miss'

See Magnolia × foggii ‘Mixed up Miss’.

'Moegi Dori'

See Magnolia acuminata ‘Moegi Dori’.

'Monland'

See Magnolia grandiflora ‘Monland’.

MOONGLOW^®

See Magnolia virginiana ‘Jim Wilson’.

'Mossman's Giant'

Flowers precocious but not abundant, extremely large, to 37 cm across, cup-and-saucer-shaped but quickly flopping due to their size; tepals pale reddish violet outside, white inside. Medium tree, a chance seedling purchased from Iufer Nursery, OR, about 1963 by Frank Mossman of Vancouver, BC.

Magnolia 'Mossman's Giant' (5th March 2017). Image Caerhays Estate.

The huge flowers of Magnolia 'Mossman's Giant' quickly become floppy (Caerhays Castle, 20th February 2020). Image Caerhays Estate.

Magnolia 'Mossman's Giant'. Image Caerhays Estate.

A young specimen of Magnolia 'Mossman's Giant' (Caerhays Castle, 20th February 2020). Image Caerhays Estate.

'Mr Julian'

Flowers precocious, continuing later than most M. campbellii, large, erect to outfacing, reddish purple ageing much lighter pink. A medium tree from a cross made at Caerhays Castle, Cornwall in 1951 but registered only in 2016 (Williams 2022). The original tree, in a most conspicuous position at Caerhays, reached 16 m in 64 years.

Magnolia 'Mr Julian' at Caerhays Castle (1st March 2022). Image Julian Sutton.

Magnolia 'Mr Julian' (Caerhays Castle, 1st March 2022). Image Caerhays Estate.

Magnolia 'Mr Julian' (Caerhays Castle, 3rd March 2020). Image Caerhays Estate.

Magnolia 'Mr Julian', the original tree at Caerhays Castle (3rd March 2020). Image Caerhays Estate.

Magnolia 'Mr Julian': the original tree (left, with M. doltsopa) at Caerhays Castle (1st March 2022). Image Julian Sutton.

'Multipetal'

See Magnolia sargentiana ‘Multipetal’.