MODERN MMODERNlias

HYBRIDIZERS ARE EXPANDING THE LIMITS OF THESE MUCH-LOVED TREES

- ANDREW BUNTING

Magnolias continue to be one of the most popular of all the ornamental trees. This versatile genus is best known for the myriad of cultivars that bloom in the spring, and also for its many evergreen species, including the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) and the sweetbay magnolia (M. virginiana var. australis).

Familiar magnolias continue to delight gardeners, but there is much to look forward to. Many new evergreen species and hybrids are today being evaluated for their landscape potential, drawing on M. figo, M. foveolata, M. insignis, M. laevifolia and many other new Asian species.

Tom Ranney, plant hybridizer with the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center, summarizes the current breeding work that is happening with magnolias:

"We are working on testing the limits of wide hybridization of magnolias with the goal of combining unique and diverse traits. We continue to drive new, complex hybrid evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs with good cold hardiness, diverse flower colors, fragrance, showy flowers, late bloom times and the ability to root from cuttings. There are a lot of traits to work with in magnolia. We are making good progress on dwarf evergreen shrub and hedge forms. Ultimately, I think the palette of commercially available magnolias will change dramatically; it just takes a little time."

FROST-DEFYING FLOWERS