Magnolia macrophylla var. ashei

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Ashe's Magnolia

Magnoliaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:Tree
Size:15-30 ft tall by 10 ft wide
Life Span:Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:White
Fruit Color:Red
Phenology:Deciduous
Noted for:Showy flowers, Interesting foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:Specimen plant in shady garden or understory tree.
Propagation:Seed. Sow in fall.
Availability:Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Seed
Light: Part Shade,  Shade
Moisture Tolerance:
always floodedextremely dry
 (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Short very dry periods)
Moisture Tolerance: Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Short very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance:Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or other substrate:Sand
Soil pH:Acidic to neutral

Ecology

Wildlife:
  

Fruits eaten and spread by birds and small mammals.

Insects:
 

Beetles are the primary pollinators of magnolia flowers. The flowers have a hardened carpel to avoid damage by their gnawing mandibles as the feed. The beetles are after the protein-rich pollen. Because the beetles are interesting in pollen and pollen alone, the flowers mature in a way that ensures cross pollination. The male parts mature first and offer said pollen. The female parts of the flower are second to mature. They produce no reward for the beetles but are instead believed to mimic the male parts, ensuring that the beetles will spend some time exploring and thus effectively pollinating the flowers (In Defense of Plants blog).

Native Habitats:Slope forest, upland mixed forest. Ravines. Andy's photo is of a planted specimen that appears to nearly lack the red/purple splotches at the bases of the petals. The leaves are too young to have the characteristic white back, however, Andy knows that they turned white as they got older.

Distribution and Planting Zones

Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones

Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures

Comments

General Comments:

Very large leaves. This is a very rare species endemic to a few steep-sided ravines and bluffs in the Florida panhandle.

This species is listed as Endangered by the FDACS.  Please acquire only from nurseries that have the appropriate permits for propagating and selling this species.