I have now seen quite a few Magnolia virginiana planted in my area. While I think the flowers and fragrance are beautiful, I am often surprised at the lanky, unattractive growth habits. Each plant looks like sticks with clumsy bunches of leaves at the tops. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this is not my idea of a graceful specimen tree by any stretch of the word.

Is this just an immature awkward stage that these trees will eventually grow out of, or are they realistically condemned to look sparse and shabby in colder zones?

On a similar note, does anyone here have firsthand experience with the hybrid 'Porcelain Dove'? The descriptions of its fragrance sound tempting, but the one picture I can find online showing its growth habit makes me concerned it might not be an attractive grower in my zone.

and in the mean time.. those pesky trees have outgrown the understory plants so much.. that they become lanky ... and weird shaped ... reaching out from under the 50 foot maples.. etc ...

ken

Since it is one of the few magnolias that likes wet ground and has good smelling flowers, it has those qualities to itself in the magnolia genus. As a rule, magnolia flowers on most species are ephemeral stinky things. M. v. is still my favorite magnolia, unless the sieboldii is blooming, or the 'Leonard Messel'.

Best to plant fully evergreen forms as the partially deciduous ones look indecisive in winter, being neither well furnished nor completely leafless. The best cultivars are all of the evergreen type also.