Magnolia x 'Genie'
Magnolia hybrid 'Genie'
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:
The colour of magnolias is difficult to represent so a technical description is
included here:
Sensational black-red buds [RHS 187A] open to small globular tulip-shaped
blooms, containing 6 to12 tepals 5 to 7 cms long, of firm textured and neat
form. Rich deep maroon-purple, [deeper RHS 64A, Ruby red,] on both surfaces,
with nicely reflexed tepal tips paling to a lighter magenta rose shade, [RHS
64B.] Lightly perfumed. A novel little dark beauty, with a multi-branched, small
bushy habit, maturing at perhaps 3-4 metres tall. Deciduous.
It is always difficult to represent magnolia colours accurately due to the
red/blue pigments present.
THE NAME:
When naming plants it is important to capture some essence of the plant,
and "Genie' came about from the magical qualities "She" possesses.
The question soon came up: "Has she granted 3 wishes?"
If you consider the qualities of the plant she has:
A GOOD GARDEN PLANT: it has healthy foliage, doesn't grow too large.
CONSISTENT COLOUR: it flowers for about ten weeks through spring and again in
summer with a consistent red colour.
A GOOD BREEDER: M. x 'Genie' shows the potential to upgrade any hybrid cross
that was originally done with M. liliiflora 'Nigra'.
