The Jane magnolia is one of the most beautiful and popular magnolia trees for gardens With its reddish-purple flowers that bloom in early spring before its leaves emerge, it makes a stunning display that will brighten up your yard
If you are looking for a Jane magnolia tree for sale near you, this article will provide helpful information on how to find and choose this gorgeous tree. We’ll cover topics like:
- An overview of Jane magnolia trees
- Where to buy Jane magnolias near me
- What to look for when buying a Jane magnolia
- How to care for Jane magnolias
- The best places to plant Jane magnolias
An Overview of Jane Magnolia Trees
The Jane magnolia (Magnolia ‘Jane’) is a deciduous hybrid magnolia tree that was bred by the US, National Arboretum in the 1950s, It is a cross between Magnolia liliiflora ‘Nigra’ and Magnolia stellata ‘Rosea’
Some key facts about Jane magnolias:
- Grow to around 15-20 feet tall and 10-15 feet wide
- Flower in early to mid spring before leaves emerge
- Dark reddish-purple cup-shaped flowers with lighter reddish interior
- Flowers have a light floral scent
- Medium green leaves emerge after flowers fade
- Leaves turn yellow in fall
- Hardy in zones 5-9
The Jane magnolia is prized for its vibrant spring flowers that appear on bare branches in early spring. They bloom up to 2 weeks later than other magnolias, meaning the flowers are less prone to late frost damage.
These compact, multi-stemmed trees work well in gardens of any size, even small yards. Their flowers, interesting branching structure, and ease of care make them a top choice.
Where to Buy Jane Magnolias Near Me
Jane magnolias have become very popular, but they can still be tricky to find at local nurseries. Here are some tips on where to find Jane magnolia trees for sale near you:
Check Independent Garden Centers
Independent local garden stores and nurseries are a good place to start looking. These small businesses often carry more unique plant varieties compared to big box stores. Ask at the garden center if they have any Jane magnolias available or can special order one for you.
Search at Online Nurseries
Buying trees online has become a great option for finding rare, hard-to-locate varieties like the Jane magnolia. Reputable online nurseries will safely ship bareroot or container grown trees right to your door.
Be sure to shop early in the planting season for the best selection. Many rare magnolias sell out quickly.
Look on Marketplace Websites
Websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are handy for finding local sellers with landscaping plants. Connect with sellers in your area who may be thinning out their magnolia collection or have Jane magnolia saplings for sale.
Visit Botanical Gardens and Arboretums
Many botanical gardens and arboretums have plant sales where you can find unique magnolias like the Jane. These plant sales often happen in spring or fall. Call your local gardens to ask if they will have any Jane magnolias available.
Check Magnolia Specialist Nurseries
There are a handful of magnolia tree specialty nurseries across the U.S. that carry extensive collections of different magnolia trees. These are great places to call if you really want to get your hands on a Jane magnolia.
What to Look for When Buying a Jane Magnolia
Once you’ve located a source for Jane magnolia trees, use these tips to pick out a healthy, high-quality specimen:
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Purchase in Spring: Spring is the optimal time to buy and plant magnolia trees. Avoid buying Jane magnolias in summer or fall.
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Inspect Roots: For container plants, check that the roots are not crowded or circling the container. For bare root plants, look for healthy white root tips.
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Examine Branches: Choose a plant with solid, undamaged branches. Avoid any with cracks, wounds, or dead branches.
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Check for Flower Buds: Scan branches for plump, undamaged flower buds that will bloom in spring. Avoid trees with shriveled or damaged buds.
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Select Based on Size: Pick a Jane magnolia sized appropriately for your space. Smaller saplings adapt better while larger trees give quicker results.
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Buy from Reputable Source: Only purchase from reputable nurseries that sell healthy, true-to-name Magnolia ‘Jane’ trees.
How to Care for Jane Magnolia Trees
Caring for Jane magnolia trees is easy once you get the basics right. Here are tips for getting your new magnolia off to the healthiest start:
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Plant in spring after the last frost when the ground has warmed.
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Choose a spot with full sun to part shade and well-draining soil.
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Space at least 15-20 feet from other trees.
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Prepare soil by mixing in compost or peat moss.
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Water young trees regularly until established, then only during droughts.
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Apply 2-4 inches of mulch around the base to retain moisture.
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Avoid excess fertilizer, which can damage magnolia roots.
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Prune only to remove dead or damaged branches.
The Best Places to Plant Jane Magnolia Trees
When choosing the perfect location for your new Jane magnolia, consider these factors:
Sun Exposure
Jane magnolias need full sun for best growth and flowering, ideally getting at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. In hot climates, they tolerate partial shade. Morning sun is essential.
Soil Conditions
Well-draining, slightly acidic soil keeps Jane magnolias happiest. They dislike soggy soil. Adding compost improves drainage in clay soil.
Wind Protection
Shelter Jane magnolias from strong winds, which can damage branches and flower buds. Plant near a wall or larger tree to provide protection.
Focal Point Location
Place Jane magnolias where they can take center stage as specimens. Plant where you’ll see them from windows and outdoor living spaces.
Complementary Plants
Underplant with azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other shade lovers. Bulbs like tulips and daffodils complement its spring flowers.
Avoid Lawns
Don’t plant Jane magnolias in lawn areas. Grass competes for water and nutrients. Leave an open mulched bed around the tree.
Finding places to buy Jane magnolia trees near me used to be a challenge. But with more nurseries offering rare magnolias like ‘Jane’ and convenient online shopping, planting one of these classic beauties in your yard has never been easier.
With a little research and care, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking floral display each spring from your own Jane magnolia tree for many years to come.
Using Magnolia Trees on Your Property
Magnolias look so exotic and bring such beauty to the garden, that some people think they must be hard to grow. Nothing could be further from the truth. With some thought about placement and a little care when they are young, they will soon become mature specimens that take care of themselves. Because of their great beauty, they make your garden special, and they are usually high on the wish-list of gardeners developing their gardens. Magnolias are small specimen trees which, in nature, often grow in the partial shade of taller trees, as well as growing well in full sun in all but exposed, dry, sandy places. Some protection from strong winds is also advantageous.
When thinking about where to grow the spring-blooming, deciduous magnolias, consider that they bloom early in the year, when other trees are still sleeping. They should be planted in spots where they can be readily seen and will stand out in all their glory. Find the right location is made easier by the fact that the other trees will still be leafless, so they can even go partly behind another deciduous tree that will leaf-out later.
However, don’t make the mistake of hiding your Magnolia behind an evergreen bush, where you will be frustrated by it being hidden when in bloom. Give it the special spot its regal presence demands. Remember too that it can often be cool in spring when your tree will be in bloom, so you may not be out in the garden a lot. Place it where it can be seen from important windows of your house – that way you can enjoy it while still indoors.
Deciduous magnolia trees fit particularly well into an area of your garden that is partially-shaded, where you might also grow beneath it azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and a variety of shade-loving perennials. A Magnolia in bloom will bring your neighbors around to admire and envy your beautiful flowering tree. These trees are available in a variety of mature sizes, and for smaller gardens a medium size tree, like the Jane Magnolia, is an excellent choice. It will fit into a smaller space, but is large enough to have a real impact when flowering.
The evergreen magnolias also come in varied sizes, and with their beautiful foliage they are good choices for specimen trees in a lawn, to line a long driveway, or to create an elegant screen. They grow well in hot, humid conditions, and they are also resistant to salt-spray, making them good choices for coastal gardens. Once established they are very drought-resistant too. With the different range of sizes available, you can create a screen or avenue of a suitable size for your particular situation, so consider which is the best one when you order.
Leaves and Flowers on the Magnolia Tree
It is the flowers that are the glory of these plants. They are large – 6 inches or so in diameter, depending on the variety. They are often gently fragrant. Colors run the spectrum from pure white, through many shades of pinks, into purple and ending with dark reds. Even yellow flowers are not available, although these are not very showy. Very often, the outsides of the petals are a much darker shade than the insides, adding richness to the overall color effect of these beautiful flowers.
When they first open, the flowers are typically shaped like a cup or tall glass, and as they mature they open fully, revealing the beauty of the inside. Some have broad petals, and other have narrower, strap-like petals. Seeds are not produced very much, but sometimes small, almost cone-like pods can be found, with several bright-red seeds inside, which ripen in the fall.
The evergreen magnolias are different in many ways. First of all, they are often larger trees, reaching 50 feet or more in height, and growing 30 feet across. If that sounds too big for your garden, don’t worry – there are also smaller varieties, like the Little Gem Magnolia, that stay a lot smaller and fit well into modern gardens with limited space. The most obvious and striking feature is the foliage. The large, oval leaves can be 12 inches long.
The upper surface is deep-green, with a rich, healthy gloss, making the tree sparkle in the sunlight. The under surface is a real contrast. It is usually covered in a dense, thick felt-like covering of hairs, that are the color of chocolate. This help the tree grow in hot, dry locations by slowing down the loss of water from the leaves. The contrast between the glossy green upper surface, and the mat, brown underside is very attractive, and is a big part of the appeal of this tree. The foliage is usually so dense that the branches cannot be seen, but as the tree grows and develops a trunk, the bark is very dark-brown in color, smooth but more textured with age.
The flowers are the second glory of this plant. Throughout the summer, they grow all over the tree. At the peak there can be many, but for the other months they are scattered, with some always open. Just as the leaves are large, so are the flowers. As they open they quickly spread out into a flat plate of petals, often 12 inches across. The petals are thick and pure white in color. In the center of the flower is a cluster of bright-yellow stamens, and the whole flower gives off a rich, heady perfume.
No wonder these plants are associated in our minds with the South, plantations, mint juleps and ‘Gone with the Wind’. Sometimes interesting seed-pods, that look a bit like pine-cones, will form after the flowers. In fall these surprise us by opening and showing large, bright-red seeds, which can hang out of the pod for a short-while on a silken thread, before dropping to the ground.
There is a wide range of different Magnolia Trees available, and you can find ones that are hardy all the way from zone 4 to zone 9. The deciduous ones are the hardiest, but they will also grow well in warmer areas that are not too dry, all the way through zone 9. The evergreen types of magnolias are hardy in zones 7, 8 and 9, although some varieties are hardy in zone 8. The deciduous magnolia trees give us the most choices for plants that will grow across different zones, but in warmer areas it would be a great mistake to neglect growing the evergreen species. Some of the hardiest of the deciduous kinds are the Girl Series, which will happily flower right into zone 4.
Deciduous magnolias grow well in both sun and partial shade. In more northern areas they do best with plenty of sun, although even there they will thrive in the shade of most deciduous trees. They also grow well on the east sides of buildings, where they get some direct sun in the mornings, and bright light later in the day. Further south, they can scorch in the hot afternoon sun, especially in dry conditions, so some shade from the hottest sun, or even dappled shade all day, is best for them.
The evergreen magnolias grow best in full sun, but they too will grow well in partial shade, with just a few hours of sun a day, or in the bright shade beside a building. In the colder zones they should be in full sun, to ripen the flower buds. Evergreen magnolias make great shade trees, and throw a dense, cool shade onto the hot sides of your home, or onto the lawn, where you can sit in their deep, cool shade on the hottest of days.
All the different kinds of magnolias will grow in sandy, loamy or clay soils, but they do not like to grow in soils that are wet for long periods, or in ones that are always dry. Well-established trees, especially the evergreen varieties, are drought-tolerant, and take care of themselves. Especially when planting, rich organic material is a valuable addition to the soil, and applying organic mulch around the root area every year when trees are younger, is a very good way to achieve the best growth. Acidic to neutral soils or ones that are only slightly alkaline, are best for most magnolias.
Magnolia Trees, especially the deciduous kinds, grow best in soils that are not constantly dry, but instead are moist, but not constantly wet. Newly-planted trees should be watered weekly for the first few months, and perhaps more often in very hot weather. Once established, in cooler areas natural rain will usually give them enough water, but in long dry periods a good soak with a hose will be very helpful to your trees. The evergreen kinds are more drought-resistant, and although they need the same care during their early years, once established they will survive long dry spells with no problem.
Magnolia trees are usually described as having a moderate growth rate. This means that when young they will grow by a foot, or even 2 feet, a year. This rate of growth will continue while the tree is young, but as it approaches 20 years of age it will begin to slow down, and older trees grow just a few inches a year. This is especially true of the deciduous magnolias, where older trees develop a dense crown, with most of the growth going into that, rather than adding height.
In the evergreen magnolias, the growth rates of different forms are very variable. Those that are going to become full-sized will add one or two feet a year for many years, while smaller forms may grow quickly when very young, but soon settle down to adding just a few inches a year.
This tendency to slow down is great for gardens – a good-sized tree develops quite quickly, but it will be a very long time before a tree reaches its full height, so even if the space you have is a bit small for the ultimate height of your tree, it will be decades before that might become a problem. Older trees can be trimmed, so even then the height is controllable, and unless the space is very small, ultimate size is rarely going to be a problem, if you choose your variety wisely.
Like all plants, magnolia trees can suffer from pests and diseases, but attacks of any significance are very rare. These trees have an ancient lineage, and they have had millions of years to evolve defenses against pests and diseases. It is very unlikely you will see any serious problems with your trees. Sometimes, if trees are grown in soil that is too alkaline, yellowing of the leaves may be seen. If this happens, treat the trees with a product for acid-loving plants, such as chelated iron. This will allow the tree to absorb the nutrients it needs to remain healthy. Use this each spring, and again in late summer if the yellowing is severe.
Magnolia ‘Jane’ – Jane Deciduous Magnolia
FAQ
How fast does a Jane Magnolia tree grow?
They grow to a mature height of only 10 to 15 feet, this along with the beautiful, tulip blooms make them a good tree for flower beds, near homes, or a specimen tree in a front yard. You should expect a growth rate of about 12 inches per year for this tree.
Where is the best place to plant a Jane magnolia tree?
Jane Magnolia is tolerant of air pollution and clay soil, however, prefers well-drained soil. Jane Magnolia does best in full sun to part shade where it will get between 6 – 8 hours of sun per day. Be sure to follow our watering guidelines for the first few growing seasons until the root system is well-established.
What month is best to plant a magnolia tree?
What time of year should you plant a Magnolia? Deciduous magnolias (those that drop their leaves in fall) are best planted when dormant, typically in late fall or winter in warmer climates and early spring in cold climates. Evergreen magnolias are best planted in early spring.
What is the difference between Betty and Jane Magnolia?
- Flower: Large, up to 8 inches wide, reddish-purple with white interiors.
- Bloom Time: Mid-spring.
- Growth Habit: Rounded, shrubby.
- Height and Spread: Typically 15 feet tall and 17-21 feet wide.
- Petals: 12-18 tepals
How big does a Jane magnolia tree grow?
The Jane Magnolia tree grows 10 to 15 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide. It is a deciduous, shrubby growing tree, with a 6-inch cup-shaped flower that is white on the inside and reddish-purple on the outside. Buy Jane Magnolia trees for sale from Willis Orchards today! Shipping dates are subject to change.
Where can I buy magnolia trees for sale online?
Rest assured, when you buy Magnolia trees for sale online from Wilson Bros Gardens we safely ship the highest quality container-grown specimens that are ready upon arrival to plant and thrive for years to come in your gardens – Guaranteed! Wilson Bros Gardens brings you awesome every day!
Are Jane magnolia trees multi trunked?
Jane Magnolia is sold as a tree-form with a higher canopy and a multi-trunked form. Do Jane Magnolias bloom twice a year? The main bloom time for Jane Magnolia is in spring but once the summer heat passes, you may enjoy a few sporadic blooms later until autumn.
How can I use a Jane magnolia?
A Jane magnolia can be used in various ways in your garden or landscape. If your space is severely limited, consider growing one or two in large decorative containers or use it in your landscape. A light pruning in spring will help keep it to a small and manageable size.
How do you grow a Jane magnolia tree?
1. Planting: Plant your Jane Magnolia Tree in a well-drained area that receives full to partial sunlight (4 to 8 hours of sunlight per day). Dig a hole large enough to accommodate your tree’s root ball, place your tree, backfill the soil, and water to settle the roots. After planting, you can mulch the surrounding soil to conserve moisture.
Why should you buy magnolia trees online?
All have fragrant flowers that add beauty and tremendous sensory appeal to the landscape. Rest assured, when you buy Magnolia trees for sale online from Wilson Bros Gardens we safely ship the highest quality container-grown specimens that are ready upon arrival to plant and thrive for years to come in your gardens – Guaranteed!