Family Magnoliaceae.
Garden origin.
- Fragrant magenta-pink flowers open in early to mid-spring.
- Upright, well-branched habit forms a neat, compact tree.
- An easy-to-grow, reliable performer with good disease resistance.
The Pink Fragrant Magnolia Tree in Your Garden
Intense burgundy buds appear in spring on an upright, elegantly branched framework. Heralding the onset of spring, their heady fragrance and soft, warm colour are a welcome tonic to the passing winter. As the blooms mature into a slender, upright cup shape, their colour softens to pink with a magenta hue.
Magnolia ‘Heaven Scent’ is hardy in all except the coldest northern and central UK gardens. It grows steadily to around 3–5m tall and wide after 10–20 years, forming a small, rounded tree or large shrub. Grow in pots or plant around patios in Norfolk and Suffolk gardens to fully appreciate its heavenly scent.
Its flowers develop slightly later than some magnolias, reducing the risk of frost damage. Handsome, broad leaves follow the blooms, large for a deciduous hybrid, up to 20cm long, and create a dense crown. They turn rich gold in autumn, revealing the plant’s elegant branching structure for winter.
Did you know?
Magnolias are amongst the most hybridised woody garden plants in the world, with many hundreds of cultivars available. The Pink Fragrant Magnolia Tree ‘Heaven Scent’ descends from the ancient Mulan and Yulan species (M. denudata and M. liliflora). Buddhist gardeners in China have cultivated these species since 600 AD, where they symbolise purity.
Growing Tips for Your hybrid Magnolia, Magnolia ‘Heaven Scent’
- Soil and sun: in any well-drained non-alkaline soil, in full sun or part shade.
- Planting: at any time of year. Avoid planting in very exposed or windy sites.
- Watering: Never plant a dry plant! Plunge the pot into water to thoroughly drench the rootball before planting. Water during its first season until it is rooted.
- Pruning: Minimal pruning required. However, train your magnolia to any desired shape by pruning in early autumn.
This pink, fragrant magnolia tree was developed in California by Todd Gresham in 1955 and is known as a Gresham Hybrid. Selected for its vigour and reliability, it has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. With its centuries-old origins in China and expert breeding, this cultivar offers exceptional flowers, foliage, and form for your garden.
