Loebner Magnolia

Loebner magnolia is the hybrid that combines the flower abundance of star magnolia with the vigor and scale of Kobus magnolia, a small to medium tree that produces clouds of fragrant, multi-petaled white to pink flowers in early spring before the leaves appear. Each flower has eight to thirty strap-like petals, depending on the cultivar, creating a softer, more layered effect than the simple six-petaled flowers of many magnolia species. The hybrids grow fifteen to twenty-five feet with a rounded, spreading form.

In Western Washington, Loebner magnolia is one of the most reliable spring-flowering trees for residential lots. 'Leonard Messel' produces pink-flushed flowers with a lilac tint, one of the most beautiful magnolias in the regional palette. 'Merrill' is white-flowered, vigorous, and exceptionally floriferous. Both tolerate the range of soils common to residential sites and handle our wet winters without issue. No significant disease or pest concerns are tracked. The early bloom timing means late frosts can damage open flowers in some years, but the tree itself is never harmed. For a spring-flowering specimen tree that fits a residential scale and blooms reliably, Loebner magnolia is one of the best options available.