Magnolia × brooklynensis

Magnolia brooкlynская (Magnolia × brooklynensis Kalmb.) – a hybrid of flowering plants from the genus Magnolia (Magnolia) of the family Magnoliaceae (Magnoliaceae). The hybrid was obtained at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in 1954 from Magnolia acuminata L. × Magnolia liliiflora Desr. The first description was published in 1972 by botanist George Anthony Kulmbacher in the journal American Magnolia Society 8: 7.

It is a deciduous tree 5–6 m tall and up to 3 m wide. Fast-growing. Crown compact, pyramidal. Bark furrowed, light brown or gray. Branches reddish-brown to gray. Buds covered with silky yellow hairs.

Leaves elliptic, dark green, glossy, smooth, 5–16 cm long, with entire slightly undulating margins.

Flower buds purple-yellow. Flowers cup-shaped, weakly fragrant, yellow, yellow-green and up to purple with a bluish tint, up to 9 cm wide, oriented upright. Flowering in late May – early June.

Fruits are cone-like pinkish-red aggregate follicles. Fruits ripen in September.

Cultivars: `Elisabeth`, `Butterflies`, `Yellow River`, `Yellow Fever`, `Yellow Garland`, `Yellow Bird`, `Goldfinch`, `Golden Sun`, `Sun Ray`, `Sundance`, `Legend`

Hardiness zone: 6a (-26°C).

Location: the optimal planting site is sunny and sheltered from northern and eastern winds. Relatively shade-tolerant. Moisture-loving, tolerates waterlogging easily. Requires high air humidity. Needs watering during dry periods. Mulching the root zone with peat, peat-compost or wood chips 8–12 cm thick is recommended.

Soil: prefers acidic or neutral soil.

Planting: soil mix – leaf mold, peat, sand in a ratio of 3:2:2. Place drainage of crushed stone or coarse sand 15–20 cm thick at the bottom of the hole. Transplant with care, as thick, fleshy roots can be easily damaged. It is recommended to purchase plants with a closed root system and plant in the open ground in spring.

Pruning: sanitary pruning is recommended.

Care: young plants require winter protection with spruce boughs or non-woven fabric; trunks are wrapped with burlap.

Propagation: propagated by seeds, grafting and cuttings. Seeds after collection should be sown immediately in the ground or stratified in a cool place in sand. Before sowing, it is recommended to rub the seeds with sand to remove the fleshy coat and rinse in water. Sowing is carried out in March–April in seedling boxes, which are placed in a room at a temperature of +15+18°C. After the appearance of the 3rd leaf, seedlings are pricked out to beds. When propagated by seed, first flowering occurs at 15 years.

Pests: Common spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), Broad/transparent mite (Hemitarsonemus latus), field slug (Deroceras agrestis and Limax maximus), grove snail (Cepaea nemoralis), Roman snail (Helix pomatia), striped greenhouse aphid (Aulacorthum circumflexum or Neomyzus circumflexum), peach aphid (Myzus persicae), rose thrips (Thrips fuscipennis, Haliday), garden moth/cabbage moth (Mamestra oleracea), ivy scale (Aspidiotus hederae), grapevine mealybug (Pseudococcus maritimus), eastern May/forest cockchafer (Melolontha hippocastani), western May cockchafer (M. melolontha).

Diseases: Bacterial leaf spot (Pseudomonas syringae), damping-off/seedling rot (Pythium ultimum, Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia solani), powdery mildew (Erysiphe magnifica), shoot dieback (Botrytis cinerea, Botryospheria sp.), scab (Elsinoe magnoliae), gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), sooty mold (Cladosporium sp.)

Uses: Used as solitary specimens on lawns, and in groups to create avenues, in urban landscaping. Can also be used to create tall informal hedges.