Magnolias for Utah

No member of the magnolia family (Magnoliaceae) is native anywhere near Utah. Most are native to East Asia and the Himalayas and to eastern North America and Central America. The nearest magnolias to Utah are native to the southeastern U.S. Yet I have been pleasantly surprised by how well many magnolias do in at least parts of Utah. Most don't like extreme dry conditions or poor drainage, but they can stand heat and are at least moderately tolerant of alkaline soil, salt, and shade.

Many magnolias are evergreen and fairly sensitive to cold, so planting a magnolia in Rich County might be a marginal proposition (try Kobus magnolia), yet even in cold climates they offer possibilities.

So let's start with one of our more cold-hardy (zone 4) magnolias - Magnolia stellata or star magnolia. Star magnolia is a multi-stemmed, non-evergreen shrub to small tree with beautiful, usually white but sometimes pink flowers with narrow strap-shaped petals. Four-inch flowers come on very early, before the leaves, and thus are very showy. Cultivars to consider are 'Royal Star' with large, white, fragrant flowers; 'Centennial;' and 'Dawn.' As with all magnolias, plant in a location that's at least somewhat protected from weather extremes, and especially from southern exposures that cause warming in the winter.

A large evergreen magnolia for warmer parts of Utah (its stated USDA cold hardiness zone is 6) is Magnolia grandiflora or southern magnolia (here's some tree trivia -- the street tree in front of Jerry Seinfeld's building in NYC in the Seinfeld sitcom is a southern magnolia). It's large, evergreen, oval leaves are dark shiny green on top and covered with rust-colored hairs beneath. Leaves normally live two years but may drop after one season in colder climates without much harm to the tree. Flowers are creamy-white and 8" to 12" in diameter, making this a spectacular tree in bloom. Though this tree isn't known to be very cold hardy, I have seen it doing well in Salt Lake City and Provo (as well as St. George) in Utah, and have seen it surviving in Columbia, Missouri (zone 5b). Numerous cultivars are available.

There's not room here to mention other magnolias in detail. Others worthy of mention (all are hardy at least to zone 4) are Kobus magnolia (Magnolia kobus), cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata), and Loebner magnolia (Magnolia x loebneri). All have numerous cultivars available with a variety of sizes, shapes, and flower characteristics. And of course I think the lily magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora) I bought yesterday will do well, but I'll have to get home, plant it, and wait and see. Wish me luck.