Magnolia figo
banana shrub

Notes:

Formerly known as Michelia figo (, Michelia fuscata, etc.). It's had a lot of names over the years.

Not recommended north of USDA zone 7 (some say 8) and the warmer parts of Sunset zone 32; once again, I have no idea where AHS pulled USDA zone 12 out of.

Reblooms sporadically through summer. Blooms smell of ripe bananas (or cantaloupes), hence the name; strongest without wind.

Unlike many magnolias, takes heavy pruning gracefully. Full sun may result in yellow-green foliage in winter. In north of range, avoid southern exposure that may put prematurely opening flowers at risk of late frosts (keep dormant longer, as with wintersweet and early viburnums).

Sources: Sunset, AHS, Dirr, UFL, NCSU, Missouri BG, Cal Poly, Odenwald/Turner.

Tags:

alkaline soil intolerant
deer resistant
dense canopy
exposure:full sun
exposure:part shade
form:multi-trunked
form:shrub
form:trainable to single trunk
form:tree
fragrant flowers
habit:mounding
habit:oval
habit:rounded
habit:upright
part shade preferred
persistence:evergreen
pruning not required
rich soil required
roots:coarse/few
roots:low damage potential
roots:wide-spreading
sandy soil tolerant
showy flowers
slow-growing
type:broadleaf
use:border
use:container
use:deck/patio
use:espalier
use:foundation
use:hedge
use:screen
use:specimen
water:regular
well-drained soil required
wind sensitive


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