Magnolia Cultivars G

'Gail's Favourite'

See Magnolia laevifolia ‘Gail’s Favourite’.

'Galaxy'

Flowers precocious, late enough in spring usually to avoid frost, initially tulip-shaped, opening to 25 cm across, lightly fragrant; tepals 11–12, red-purple, a little lighter inside. A small tree with a single leader, upright and pyramidal, more spreading with age, suitable for planting in streets and confined sites; easily rooted from cuttings, and sometimes used as an understock for grafting other cultivars. From a cross made in 1963 by William Kosar, US National Arboretum, released 1980. Highly rated by Philippe de Spoelberch, Belgium (pers. comm. 2021). ‘Spectrum’ is a comparable but larger flowered sister seedling (US National Arboretum 2022; Edwards & Marshall 2019).

Magnolia 'Galaxy' on Battleston Hill, RHS Garden Wisley, March 2012. Image John Grimshaw.

Magnolia 'Galaxy' (10th April 2016). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Galaxy' on Battleston Hill, RHS Garden Wisley, March 2012. Image John Grimshaw.

Magnolia 'Galaxy' (14th April 2015). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Galaxy' flowers freely from a young age (Yorkshire Arboretum, April 2022). Image John Grimshaw.

'Galissonnière'

See Magnolia grandiflora ‘Galissonnière’.

'GCCHU2008'

See Magnolia laevifolia ‘GCCHU2008’.

'Genesis'

See Magnolia sieboldii ‘Genesis’.

'Genie'

Flowers goblet shaped, abundant, before the leaves; tepals to 12, dark purple-red. Compact, upright shrub to small tree. Lovely at its best, Edwards & Marshall (2019) note mixed reports in Britain, with branch die-back being a problem in some gardens. Selected by Vance Hooper, New Zealand, from a cross made in 1998. Plant Breeders’ Rights in New Zealand and Europe; US Plant Patent 20748P3.

Magnolia 'Genie' (17th April 2018). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Genie' (19th April 2016). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'George Henry Kern'

Flowers initially on leafless shoots (mid-April in S England) but continuing for 6–8 weeks among the leaves; tepals 8–10, thick, in North America rose-pink outside, paler inside, from deep red-purple buds (soft pink from rose-pink buds in Britain). A compact, free-flowering medium shrub raised in the 1930s at Wyoming Nurseries, OH; introduced late 1940s, named by Carl Kern for his father killed on active service in 1945. The Royal Horticultural Society’s AGM confirms its qualities as a garden plant in Britain, but from a Belgian perspective Philippe de Spoelberch does not recommend it (pers. comm. 2021).

Magnolia 'George Henry Kern' (9th April 2020). Image Caerhays Estate.

Magnolia 'George Henry Kern' (Parc de la Beaujoire, Nantes; 31st March 2011). Image Koen Camelbeke.

The shrubby habit of Magnolia 'George Henry Kern' (Parc de la Beaujoire, Nantes; 31st March 2011). Image Koen Camelbeke.

'Gere'

See Magnolia denudata ‘Gere’.

'Ginter Spicy White'

Evergreen; flowers in May and June (E United States) from erect buds, cup-shaped before opening flat to ~20 cm across, white, fragrance described as ‘lemony-mint’ (Lobdell 2021); tepals 12; stamens dark pink. A large, broadly spreading shrub with almost sub-tropical foliage effect, raised by Bill Smith, VA, and named for the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden where he is a volunteer. Hardiness not yet widely tested.

'Gloriosa'

See Magnolia grandiflora ‘Gloriosa’.

'Gold Crown'

Flowers late, just before or with the new leaves, to 25 cm across; tepals 8–9, deeper yellow than ‘Sundance’ or ‘Elizabeth’. Leaves resembling M. acuminata, to 20 × 15 cm, with a distinctive wavy margin. An upright, small to medium tree raised by August Kehr, 1984.

'Gold Star'

Flowers precocious; tepals to 14, creamy yellow, strap shaped; tolerant of some frost. Young leaves bronze-red, becoming green. Small to medium tree combining the upright tree form of M. acuminata with the side branching network of M. stellata. Raised by Phil Savage, MI, before 2000. Highly rated by Philippe de Spoelberch, Belgium (pers. comm. 2021).

Magnolia 'Gold Star' (30th April 2013). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Autumn colour in Magnolia 'Gold Star' (19th November 2017). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

A young plant, already flowering well, at Nymans, West Sussex; 18th April 2007. Image Owen Johnson.

'Golden Endeavor'

Flowers pale yellow flushed green at base, cup-shaped, ~10 cm across, just before or with the new leaves; tepals thick textured. A floriferous small, rounded tree with horizontal branches. Tetraploid raised by August Kehr, NC, 1988.

Magnolia 'Golden Endeavor' (22nd April 2011). Image Caerhays Estate.

Magnolia 'Golden Endeavor' (26th March 2011). Image Caerhays Estate.

Magnolia 'Golden Endeavor' (10th April 2009). Image Caerhays Estate.

'Golden Gala'

A later flowering but otherwise similar sister seedling to M. ‘Golden Sun’ (see below), apparently not registered by the breeder but sold in the European nursery trade.

Magnolia 'Golden Gala' (8th April 2017). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Golden Gift'

Flowers rich yellow, with faint green flush at base, ~11 cm across, with the new leaves. Very floriferous, display lasting up to 4 weeks. Usually shrubby. Raised by David Leach, OH, before 1997.

Magnolia 'Golden Gift' (Broken Arrow Nursery, CT, 8th May 2011). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Golden Gift' (Morris Arboretum, PA, 3rd May 2011). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Golden Girl'

See Magnolia × brooklynensis ‘Golden Girl’.

'Golden Glow'

See Magnolia acuminata ‘Golden Glow’.

'Golden Joy'

See Magnolia × brooklynensis ‘Golden Joy’.

'Golden Sun'

Flowers to 18 cm across, with the leaves; inner tepals yellow, outer ones green. Vigorous, floriferous small to medium tree. Raised by David Leach, OH, before 1996.

Magnolia 'Golden Sun' (14th April 2011). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Golden Sun' (14th April 2011). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Autumn colour in Magnolia 'Golden Sun' (25th October 2016). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Goldfinch'

Flowers pale yellow, usually precocious, from late March (S England). A small, upright tree raised by Phil Savage, MI, before 1989.

Magnolia 'Goldfinch' (7th April 2017). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

'Goliath'

See Magnolia grandiflora ‘Goliath’.

'Grace McDade'

See Magnolia × soulangeana ‘Grace McDade’.

'Gracilis'

See Magnolia liliiflora ‘Gracilis’.

'Green Bee'

Flowers with or just before the new leaves; buds strikingly green, elongated; tepals yellow-green outside, pale yellow inside, long and heavy, tending to hang down. Small, upright tree. From a cross made by August Kehr, 1991; grown at Arboretum Wespelaar, selected by Philippe de Spoelberch who commends its vigour (pers. comm. 2021).

The striking green buds of Magnolia 'Green Bee' (20th April 2011). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

The long tepals of Magnolia 'Green Bee' tend to hang down (9th May 2013). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Magnolia 'Green Bee' (1st May 2012). Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

GREEN DIAMOND

See Magnolia Cultivars L ‘Lv Xing’.

'Green Mist'

See Magnolia × loebneri ‘Green Mist’.

'Gretel Eisenhut'

Flowers precocious, very large and richer pink outside than the comparable ‘Caerhays Belle’. A small to medium tree, raised before 2000 and named for the wife of Swiss magnolia breeder Otto Eisenhut. Sometimes listed as pure M. sargentiana (Royal Horticultural Society 2022), but Eisenhut gives the above parentage, noting that the larger flowers reflect input from M. campbellii (Eisenhut 2021; Parco Botanico Eisenhut 2019).