Magnolia x soulangeana 'Susan' – 'Susan' Magnolia

Brighten your spring landscape with the 'Susan' Magnolia, a spectacular variety that unfurls its slender, goblet-shaped flowers on bare wood, well before the foliage appears. Its deep reddish-purple petals reveal a soft pink interior, creating a striking contrast and a delicate fragrance that fills the air. This compact small tree or large shrub fits perfectly into urban gardens, providing an elegant structure and theatrical blooming as soon as the warm weather returns.

Characteristics

• Foliage: Deciduous, oval leaves of a lustrous medium green. The foliage emerges late, allowing the spring bloom to take center stage.
• Flowers / Fruit / Stems: Produces large solitary flowers 10 to 15 cm wide, composed of 6 twisted petals, deep purple on the outside and light pink on the inside. The main bloom occurs in May.
• Light: Requires full sun for maximum flowering but tolerates light partial shade.
• Habit: Upright and bushy habit, becoming rounded and dense with age.
• Growth: Slow to moderate growth, reaching approximately 3 to 4 meters in height.
• Soil: Prefers soil rich in organic matter, cool, and well-drained.
• Temperature: Excellent hardiness for the Canadian climate (Zone 4).
• Resistances: Good resistance to fungal diseases and generally avoided by White-tailed deer.

Use

• Types of use: Ideal as a specimen plant to draw the eye, in shrub borders, or even in large containers.
• Decorative advantages: Offers one of the richest spring displays in color thanks to its bicolor flowers that bloom without the presence of leaves.

Maintenance

• Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the first two years after planting.
• Fertilization: Apply an all-purpose tree and shrub fertilizer or rich compost in early spring.
• Pruning: Prune only if necessary to balance the silhouette, ideally immediately after the spring bloom.
• Planting: Plant in a location protected from prevailing winter winds to preserve flower buds.
• Winter Protection: Protection may be beneficial during the first few years in Zone 4 to protect buds from late spring frosts.