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Magnolia × soulangeana 'Lennei Alba'

saucer magnolia 'Lennei Alba'

Large, spreading deciduous shrub or small tree to 6m, with ovate dark green leaves, and cup-shaped creamy-white flowers to 8cm in width, opening before and with the young leaves in spring

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Magnoliaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Magnolia can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, with large, showy, often fragrant flowers, often opening before the leaves, and sometimes followed by colourful cone-like fruit
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in moist, humus-rich soil. Some protection may be needed from late frosts

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Minimal pruning required, see magnolia pruning. Deciduous magnolias should only be pruned between midsummer and early autumn

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects, horse chestnut scale and capsid bug

Diseases

May be susceptible to coral spot, phytophthora, grey moulds, honey fungus, a virus or fungal leaf spot

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