Content
Magnolia Sulange is a small tree that invariably attracts attention during the flowering period. This culture is strongly associated with southern nature, which is why many gardeners believe that it is impossible to grow it in colder climates. With the right choice of the variety and the observance of certain conditions in latitudes with cold winters, you can get an amazingly beautiful tree.
Description of Soulange magnolia
Soulange is one of the most spectacular magnolia varieties. Depending on the subspecies, the Soulange magnolia is a tree or shrub 2–10 m in height with a loose spherical crown. The magnolia of Soulange is characterized by a short trunk with branches growing almost from the ground. The leaf plate is light green, large, dull, smooth on the surface, pubescent on the underside. In the fall, the foliage falls off.
This variety is characterized by moderate winter hardiness, which increases with the age of the plant. At very low winter temperatures, flower buds sometimes freeze, but this does not affect the health of the tree.
Another advantage of the variety is its resistance to environmental pollution, thanks to which the plant can be used for landscaping large cities and planted on the territory of industrial enterprises.
How the magnolia of Soulange blooms
The flowering of the Soulange magnolia is incredibly spectacular: in April or May, even before the foliage appears, large flowers up to 25 cm in diameter with a pleasant aroma bloom on the tree. Corollas of flowers of this variety are cupped or goblet-shaped, and can be white, pink or red. There is also a two-tone color. The flowering of the Soulange magnolia is abundant and long, begins at a young age.
Types and varieties of Soulange magnolia
Magnolia of the Soulangeana variety was obtained by the French breeder Etienne Soulange as a result of crossing the Nude and Lilietzvetnaya magnolia varieties. Now about 20 forms of this plant have been bred, differing in the appearance of the flowers, the shape of the crown and other characteristics.
Alexandrina
The magnolia tree Sulange Alexandrina grows to a height of 6 m with a crown width of about 4 m. The variety is valuable for large - up to 15 cm - odorless flowers with a double color: inside the petals are white, outside are dark pink, almost purple. Flowers bloom in early May at the same time as foliage. Magnolia of the Sulange Alexandrina variety is distinguished by very abundant, but short - up to 3 weeks - flowering.
Galaxy
The tree of this variety has a straight trunk and a pyramidal, narrow crown shape. Magnolia Sulange Galaxy blooms in late spring with purple or deep red fragrant flowers. Long-lasting, abundant flowering. This tree looks most advantageous in small gardens.
Princess of dreams
Magnolia Sulange Princess of Dreams is a small, up to 5 m, shrub that blooms in the second half of spring. The corolla is very large, reaches 25 cm in diameter, can have a goblet or cupped shape. Inside the petals are white, outside the color can be red, pink, purple or pink with white stripes. With its abundant flowering, unusual colors, delicate aroma and extraordinary size of flowers, this variety looks incredibly attractive.
Alba Superba
The magnolia tree of Sulange Alba Superba reaches a height of 4 m. The variety is distinguished by large flowers of a particularly delicate color: the pink tint at the base of the corolla is replaced by pure white. Flowers have a goblet shape. Abundantly white flowers bloom even before the leaves appear, in April, but also later, against the background of bright green young foliage, they look very picturesque.
Rustica Rubra
A variety of magnolia Sulange Rustica Rubra is a tree or shrub with a wide crown, reaching a height of 7 m. Feels good in warm sunny areas, prefers moist fertile soils. The variety blooms with large, goblet, rounded flowers. Outside, the corolla is painted in red-pink color, inside - in delicate white and pink. Flowering begins in the second half of spring, when the branches are not yet covered with foliage.
Linnaeus
This subspecies is distinguished by its special winter hardiness and slow growth. Compact shrub, no more than 2 - 3 m in height, blooming in late spring. Dark purple buds bloom into large flowers, the inner surface of which is painted white. The flower petals of this variety are convex, fleshy.
Jenny
The Jenny magnolia bush is narrow, compact, reaching a height of about 3 m and a width of 1.5 m. It has amazingly beautiful flowers, reminiscent of a tulip, unusual for the varieties of this culture, a dark ruby red color. Flowering begins in April and lasts for several weeks. Often at the end of summer, repeated flowering is observed, which in abundance is almost the same as in spring.
André Leroy
Magnolia of the Soulange variety André Leroy is a small sprawling tree up to 4 m high. It blooms in late spring with elongated medium-sized flowers with a delicate delicate scent. Corollas are bright, pink-purple, look extremely picturesque both at the beginning of flowering on bare branches and after the appearance of foliage.
Reproduction methods
The easiest way is to propagate the shrub vegetatively: by cuttings, layering and grafting, but you can also grow Soulange's magnolia from seeds.
When grafting, temperature and humidity are very important. Young trees obtained in this way can be planted in a permanent place only after a year.
It is very easy to get new plants using cuttings. One or more of the lower branches of the mother bush are fixed on the soil and added dropwise, which stimulates the formation of roots. After a maximum of 2 years, the young plant can be separated from the main bush.
Reproduction of the Soulange magnolia variety by grafting is a relatively simple method, but it requires some training and knowledge of technology. It lies in the rootstock of the bud of the desired type for a tree of a different variety. As a rule, amateur gardeners rarely use this method.
Sowing seeds is done in the fall. The prepared seed material is sown in boxes and removed to a cold place; in the spring, they take out and carefully look after the emerging seedlings.
Planting and caring for Soulange's magnolia
Regardless of the selected Soulange magnolia variety, the beauty and health of plants depends on proper planting and proper care.
Recommended timing
Soulange magnolia varieties are planted in early spring or autumn. Many gardeners argue that it is preferable to plant it in October than in April, since there is a risk of frost return in the spring. If a young seedling has already begun sap flow, even short-term frosts can severely damage.
Site selection and soil preparation
Magnolia is a southern plant, so it prefers well-lit areas without drafts. However, direct sunlight should be avoided on the shrub, especially on a young seedling. The culture does not tolerate stagnant moisture, low-lying swampy areas or areas with a high, less than 1.2 m from the surface, groundwater table are unsuitable for it. From an aesthetic point of view, Soulange's magnolia is best positioned separately from other plantings to enhance its beauty.
The soil for magnolias should be fertile, loose, well-permeable to water and air. Sandy loam and loamy soils with acidity close to neutral or slightly acidic are well suited. If magnolia is to be planted in limed soil, then during autumn digging, sour peat is added to it.
Soil preparation consists in digging out spacious planting holes, with a volume of 2 - 3 times the size of the root ball of the seedling. A mixture of sod land, sand and peat or compost is spread on the bottom.
How to plant Soulange magnolia
For planting, it is better to choose a seedling with a closed root system. The landing procedure is as follows:
- the plant is placed in the center of the prepared pit and covered with a pre-prepared substrate, periodically compacting the soil;
- the top layer of the soil is left loose;
- the seedling is thoroughly watered with warm water;
- after a while, when the soil around the plant settles, the soil is poured so that moisture does not accumulate around the trunk.
The distance between plantings is calculated depending on the characteristics of the variety, taking into account that adult trees do not shade each other. Usually, magnolia seedlings are not placed closer than 2-3 m from each other.
Growing rules
If a suitable place is chosen for the magnolia of the Sulange variety and the planting is carried out according to all the rules, further caring for the plant is not particularly difficult. Young plants need increased attention for several years after planting, but with age they become more hardy and unpretentious.
Watering
The shrub is very sensitive to soil moisture, especially the first few years after planting. On hot days, the periosteal circles should not be allowed to dry out, in general, watering should be abundant and frequent. It is usually sufficient to irrigate the soil every other day. You should use warm, preferably rainwater, water for this. On especially hot days, crown sprinkling is used.
Top dressing
Young magnolia begins to fertilize from the age of three. This is done twice a year: in the spring, when the plant is preparing for the growing season, and in the first half of summer. You can use ready-made complexes for magnolia, or you can prepare a fertilizer based on cow dung by mixing it with urea and ammonium nitrate.
It should be remembered that excessive fertilization is harmful to the plant.
Pruning
Magnolia does not need formative pruning, but it is necessary to remove all dry, damaged and frozen branches in early spring, as well as branches bent inside the crown. The place of the cuts must be treated with garden pitch.
Preparing for winter
Trees and shrubs of the Soulange magnolia are frost-resistant, some varieties easily tolerate winter temperatures down to -30 ° C, so they are easy to grow in the middle lane, for example, in the Moscow region. Only young trees need shelter for the winter for the first few seasons after planting.
To protect the plantings from frost, the trunks are mulched with spruce branches, sawdust or straw, and the plant itself is covered with burlap. They remove the shelter at a stable positive air temperature.
Pests and diseases
The Soulange magnolia variety is resistant to diseases and pests, however, this crop can also have health problems.
Chlorosis can be suspected by the appearance of yellow leaves with green veins. It arises due to the high content of lime in the soil. You can cope with this disease by acidifying the soil with peat.
In hot weather, magnolia can be attacked by spider mites, which feed on its juices. Acaricides are used to combat them.
Rodents and moles are not specific pests of this crop, they can harm any tree. So that they do not settle in the roots of plants, with the onset of the first frosts, the trunk circles are covered, then in winter the plantings will not be damaged. Special ultrasonic repellents help from moles.
Conclusion
Magnolia Sulange is still an infrequent guest in the gardens of central Russia. Its popularity began to grow only recently. However, a large number of hybrids of this variety, unpretentiousness and relatively simple agricultural technology will allow every gardener to grow this amazing southern tree on his site.
