Magnolia hybrid 'George Henry Kern'

Synonyms: Magnolia stellata 'George Henry Kern'

Magnolia hybrid George Henry Kern (Magnolia 'George Henry Kern') – a hybrid Magnolia stellata Rosea x Magnolia liliiflora Nigra of the genus Magnolia (Magnolia) in the family Magnoliaceae. The hybrid was obtained in 1935 by Carl E. Kern, Wyoming Nursery, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

It is a deciduous, broad, vertically growing and branched shrub with a rounded, compact and twiggy crown 2–3 m high and up to 4 m in diameter. The main roots are powerful, fleshy, superficial.

Leaves alternate, elliptic to obovate, 6–10 cm long and 5 cm wide, dark green.

Flowers up to 7.5 cm in diameter, very numerous, 8–10 petaled, star-shaped, erect, widely open. Perianth segments 8–10, ribbon-shaped, narrow and dense, bright pink in buds, in open flowers pale pink-lilac at the base and nearly white with a faint pinkish tint toward the tips. Blooms for an extended period, in May–July.

Hardiness zone: 4a (-29°C).

Location: the optimal planting site is a sunny or semi-shaded location sheltered from northerly and easterly winds. Relatively shade-tolerant. Moisture-loving, tolerates waterlogging. Requires high air humidity. During dry periods needs watering. Mulching the root circle 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 the ratio 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 and fleshy roots can be easily damaged. It is recommended to purchase plants with a closed root system and plant them out 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 seed, grafting and cuttings. Seeds after collection should be sown immediately in the ground or stratified in a cool place in sand. Before sowing, seeds are recommended to be rubbed with sand to remove the fleshy coat and rinsed in water. Sowing is carried out in March–April in seed boxes placed in a room with a temperature of +15°C to +18°C. After the appearance of the third leaf, seedlings are pricked out to beds. When grown from seed, first flowering occurs at about 15 years.

Pests: Common spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), Broad mite (Hemitarsonemus latus), field slug (Deroceras agrestis and Limax maximus), grove snail (Cepaea nemoralis), Roman snail (Helix pomatia), greenhouse striped aphid (Aulacorthum circumflexum or Neomyzus circumflexum), peach aphid (Myzus persicae), rose thrips (Thrips fuscipennis, Haliday), cabbage moth (Mamestra oleracea), ivy scale (Aspidiotus hederae), mealybug (Pseudococcus maritimus), Eastern May beetle (Melolontha hippocastani), Western May beetle (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 a specimen planting on lawns, and also in groups to create alleys, in urban landscaping, and for small gardens. Can also be used to create tall informal hedges.