Ashe’s Dwarf Bigleaf Magnolia

Magnolia macrophylla var. ashei

Other Names: Ashe Magnolia, Ashe’s Magnolia, Deciduous Magnolia, Dwarf Bigleaf Magnolia

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-10b (6b?) Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Small Tree

Height at Maturity: 10-15′

Width at Maturity: 10-15′

Growth Habit / Form: Upright Rounded

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: HUGE flowers 12 inches or more in diameter!

Flowering Period: Early Summer

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes!

Foliage Color: Apple Green with Silver undersides

Fragrant Foliage: No

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Evening Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained

Soil pH: 5.5 – 6.5 (Acid to Slightly Acid)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

A dwarf version of our North American native Bigleaf Magnolia, Magnolia ashei shares the same massive leaves and flowers of the parent, but grows only half the size to around 15 feet tall and wide. At up to 2 feet long and a foot wide, the big and bold apple-green leaves with striking silver undersides bring a lush, tropical look to the landscape. Equally impressive, giant, sweetly fragrant creamy white flowers with purple centers measuring 12 inches or more in diameter appear from late spring to early summer. You’ll be happy to know that this one starts blooming at a much younger age than its parent, usually at 2 to 3 years old. Very rare in cultivation and the wild, Ashe’s Magnolia is destined to be a conversation piece that provides spectacular sensory appeal in your landscape.

Landscape & Garden Uses

With an upright habit and rounded form to around 15 feet tall and equally as wide, Ashe’s Dwarf Bigleaf magnolia is ideal for use as a large specimen shrub or small tree in sunny to partially shaded landscape and woodland borders. Looks very nice near bodies of water. A fine addition to tropical look gardens, native plant gardens, fragrance gardens and white theme gardens.

Growing Preferences

Ashes Dwarf Bigleaf Magnolia is easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained acidic soil of average fertility and full sun to part shade. In drier areas of the deep South, some filtered sun or shade during the hottest mid-afternoon hours of summer will be appreciated. In alkaline soils, apply soil sulfur and/or chelated iron to increase acidity. Pruning usually isn’t necessary, however stray or damaged branches can be pruned immediately after flowering in spring. Feed after flowering in spring with a mild organic plant food or a well-balanced shrub and tree food containing iron or sulfur.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, feed and water Southern Magnolia trees.

How To Plant & Care For Deciduous Magnolias

Plant Long & Prosper!

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I recently purchased a 7 gal. Ashei Dwarf Big Leaf Magnolia tree from Wilson Bros Gardens.. Large, well shaped and arrived in perfect condition. It was in the ground the next day and seems to be thriving. Wilson Bros Gardens is and will always be my number one go-to online source to purchase plants. They offer an infinite variety of nursery stock rarely found anywhere else and their customer service is top notch. I have placed many orders with Wilson Bros Gardens over the years and have never had any issues. They are hands down the best!————————————————–Wow! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG