Magnolia zenii: Country Or Region Of Origin
China
Plant Profile: Magnolia zenii
Names
Zen Magnolia
Phonetic Spelling:mag-NO-lee-ah zen-ee-eye
Genus:Magnolia
Species:zenii
Family:Magnoliaceae
This gray-barked variety is the first magnolia to flower, showcasing its blossoms in the middle to late winter months. Its dark green leaves have a lighter green hue on their undersides, and the winter buds are adorned with soft, silky hairs. The flowering typically occurs in March, releasing a delightful fragrance. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly scarce in its native regions of China.
Magnolia zenii Feature Summary
Tags
#showy flowers
#deciduous
#small tree
#full sun tolerant
#fragrant flowers
#specimen
#white flowers
#winter interest
#flowering tree
#large flowers
#winter flowers
#late winter flowers
#mid-winter flowers
#early blooming
Similar Plants
Magnolia zenii Feature Summary
Attributes
Flowers
Pink buds open white with the undersurface of the nine tepals marked with a band of purple-pink along the midrib of each tepal. Up to 4 inches wide and fragrant. Blooms Feb. to March
Purple/Lavender
White
Gold/Yellow
Fragrant
Showy
Spring
Winter
7 - 20 petals/rays
Tepals
3-6 inches
Leaves
Up to 8-inch long elliptical dark green leaves are pale green on the underside. Yellow-brown fall color.
Deciduous
Green
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Simple
Alternate
Elliptical
3-6 inches
Glossy
Leathery
Bark
Smooth gray bark
Light Gray
Whole Plant Traits
Tree
Deciduous
Conical
Pyramidal
Medium
Medium
Fine
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
12-24 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
High Organic Matter
Sand
Fruit
Red/Burgundy
1-3 inches
Stem
Landscape
Winter Garden
Asian Garden
Specimen
Flowering Tree
Magnolia zenii Image Gallery
Magnolia zenii Attributes
Magnolia zenii: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Magnolia zenii: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Magnolia zenii Flowers
Magnolia zenii: Flower Description
Pink buds open white with the undersurface of the nine tepals marked with a band of purple-pink along the midrib of each tepal. Up to 4 inches wide and fragrant. Blooms Feb. to March
Magnolia zenii: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Purple/Lavender
White
Magnolia zenii: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Magnolia zenii: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Magnolia zenii: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Magnolia zenii: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Magnolia zenii: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Magnolia zenii: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Magnolia zenii Leaves
Magnolia zenii: Leaf Description
Up to 8-inch long elliptical dark green leaves are pale green on the underside. Yellow-brown fall color.
Magnolia zenii: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Magnolia zenii: Leaf Color
Green
Magnolia zenii: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Magnolia zenii: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Magnolia zenii: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Magnolia zenii: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Magnolia zenii: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Magnolia zenii: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Magnolia zenii: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Magnolia zenii Bark
Magnolia zenii: Bark Description
Smooth gray bark
Magnolia zenii: Bark Color
Light Gray
Magnolia zenii Whole Plant Traits
Magnolia zenii: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Magnolia zenii: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Magnolia zenii: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Magnolia zenii: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Magnolia zenii: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Magnolia zenii: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Magnolia zenii Cultural Conditions
Magnolia zenii: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Magnolia zenii: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Magnolia zenii: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Magnolia zenii: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Magnolia zenii: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Magnolia zenii: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Magnolia zenii: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Magnolia zenii Fruit
Magnolia zenii: Fruit Color
Red/Burgundy
Magnolia zenii: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Magnolia zenii Stem
Magnolia zenii: Stem Color
Gray/Silver
Magnolia zenii: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Magnolia zenii: Stem Bud Scales
Enclosed in 2 scales
Enclosed in a single cap like scale
Enclosed in more than 2 scales
No scales, covered in hair
Magnolia zenii Landscape
Magnolia zenii: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Magnolia zenii: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Magnolia zenii: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
