Tree · Magnoliaceae
Jane Magnolia
Magnolia 'Jane'
A small tree that opens tulip-shaped purple-pink flowers late enough to dodge that pesky spring frost.
Full sun
Every 5–10 days
USDA 4–8
10–15 ft · 3–4.6 m
Overview
So what makes Jane magnolia worth planting? It's one of the eight Little Girl hybrids bred at the National Arboretum, and that cross was made on purpose to flower late. It grows as a compact tree or large shrub, getting to 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 m) over time, with a rounded shape that tucks nicely into a small yard. The tulip-shaped flowers open purple-pink outside and pale within, and they show up before the leaves do.
The real trick here is its timing. Jane blooms in mid-to-late spring, a good 2 to 4 weeks after the star and saucer magnolias, which is exactly why its flowers so often skip the late frost that wrecks the earlier ones. And here's a bonus: plenty of trees toss out a few extra blooms again in summer.
The nice part? It doesn't ask for much once it's settled. Give it sun, room to stretch out, and steady water while it's young, and this slow grower turns into a long-lived, laid-back tree that earns its keep every single spring.
Care
The short version: full sun to part shade in rich, moist, slightly acidic soil, keep it watered while it establishes, mulch to hold the moisture, and prune only right after it flowers.
Light
Jane magnolia flowers best in full sun, but it'll take partial shade or partial sun without any fuss. The more sun it soaks up, the more it blooms, so give it an open spot if you've got one.
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist with regular watering, every 5 to 10 days, and lean toward the wetter side while the tree's getting established or during a dry stretch. A ring of mulch keeps that moisture from disappearing. Once it's settled in, it handles moderate drought just fine.
Soil
Plant it in rich, well-drained loam that runs acidic to neutral, ideally a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. It puts up with clay better than a lot of trees, so heavy ground isn't a dealbreaker as long as it drains.
Temperature
This one's tough across a big range, from a deep chill of -29°F (-34°C) right up to summer heat near 95°F (35°C). That toughness is what lets it grow all through USDA zones 4 to 8.
Humidity
Regular outdoor humidity is all it needs, so there's no number to keep track of. What matters more is air movement, because still, damp air is what brings powdery mildew to the leaves.
Feeding
Feed it once in early spring with a balanced or acid-forming fertilizer, and that's really all it wants. Piling on the nitrogen just invites scale and soft growth, so go easy.
Pruning
Prune it right after it flowers, because next year's buds form on this year's growth, so a late cut takes the blooms right along with it. Other than clearing out dead or crossing branches, it barely needs any.
Repotting
This is a landscape tree that's rarely kept in a pot, so repotting almost never comes up. If one is in a container, though, slowed growth, water rushing straight through, or roots circling the sides are your cue to move it up.
Size & spacing
Figure on a mature height of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 m) and a spread of 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.7 m). Give it that much open room right from the start so the crown can fill out without feeling crowded.
When to plant
Jane magnolia runs on its own schedule, and that's a good thing. Plant it in spring or early fall while the weather's mild, then just sit back and wait for the show in mid-to-late spring, when it flowers later than most magnolias and usually clears the frost.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Spring or early fall
- Harvest: Mid-to-late spring (mid-April to early May), about 2-4 weeks later than star and saucer magnolias; often reblooms sporadically in summer
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 4–8
Temperature: down to -34°C
Troubleshooting
Jane magnolia keeps itself healthy most years, so trouble is more the exception than the rule. When something does crop up, it tends to show on the leaves or twigs first. Just match what you're seeing to the notes below and step in before it spreads.
Waxy bumps on the twigs, sticky leaves, and a black film below
See those little raised bumps on the twigs? That's magnolia scale, a sap-sucking insect that tucks itself under a waxy shell. As it feeds it drips sticky honeydew, and that sugary mess is what grows the black sooty mold you'll spot on the leaves underneath. Snip out the worst twigs, hit the young crawlers with horticultural oil in summer or during dormancy, and let the good bugs mop up the rest.
Fix:
- Prune out and destroy heavily infested twigs
- Apply horticultural oil during dormancy or treat crawlers in summer
- Encourage natural predators
Dark blotches on the leaves with twigs dying back
If dark leaf spots turn up alongside sunken patches on the wood, you're probably dealing with leaf spot or canker fungi. When a branch starts to die back, don't leave it hanging around; prune it off and get rid of the wood. Rake up the fallen diseased leaves too, keep the tree watered and mulched, and it'll handle the rest just fine.
Fix:
- Prune out and destroy cankered or dead wood
- Rake and remove fallen diseased leaves
- Maintain plant vigor with proper watering and mulching
A white, powdery dust across the leaves
That chalky white coating is just powdery mildew, a fungus that shows up when the air stays humid and doesn't move much. On a healthy tree it's really no big deal, more of a cosmetic thing than anything serious. Thin out any crowded growth so air can get through, rake up the fallen leaves come autumn, and only bother with a labeled fungicide if it's really taking over.
Fix:
- Rake and dispose of fallen infected leaves
- Improve air circulation by thinning
- Apply a labeled fungicide if severe
Toxicity
Good news if you've got pets or kids around: every part of this tree is safe. The ASPCA lists magnolia as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, with nothing toxic in the leaves, bark, or flowers. Sure, a curious nibble could bring a passing tummy ache like any plant might, but nothing here is going to poison anyone.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Cats can poke around a Jane magnolia all they like, since the ASPCA has it down as non-toxic.
Dogs None
A dog that grabs a dropped leaf or flower won't get poisoned, though wolfing down a big mouthful of any plant might mean a quick upset tummy.
Horses None
Horses are fine around it too, because magnolia doesn't carry anything toxic for them.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits have nothing to fear from the leaves or the blooms.
Livestock Safe
Grazers like goats and cattle can browse near it without any trouble.
Birds Safe
Birds that perch in the branches or peck at the fruit come away just fine.
People Safe
It's safe to have around kids, since there's nothing poisonous in the leaves, bark, or flowers.
No special handling precautions are required for toxicity.
Varieties
Jane's one of eight Little Girl hybrids, and her sisters all share that same late-blooming, frost-dodging habit, just in different flower colors. These are the ones you're most likely to bump into.
Ann
Ann's another Little Girl sister, showing off slim, upright reddish-purple flowers that open among the first of the group.
Betty
Betty's a Little Girl hybrid with big blooms that open wide to show purple-red on the outside and clean white inside.
Susan
Susan brings fragrant fuchsia-red flowers to the Little Girl group, and the petals have a slight twist to them.
Randy
Randy grows a bit more upright than the others, with narrow purple-pink flowers held tight to the stem.
Judy
Judy's one of the eight National Arboretum Little Girl hybrids, and this one comes in a deep red-purple.
Pinkie
Pinkie's the Little Girl hybrid you'll know for softer pink flowers that open later than her sisters.
Ricki
Ricki spreads out a little more as a Little Girl hybrid and flowers in a deep purple-red.
How to propagate
Since Jane's a named hybrid, she only comes true if you clone her. There are three ways to pull that off, and each one suits a different level of patience and skill.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Early to mid summer using softwood to semi-hardwood growth · Several weeks to root; one or more seasons to establish
Grab softwood to semi-hardwood cuttings in early to mid summer, because a named hybrid like this only stays true if you clone it. Give them time, since they take several weeks to root and a season or more to settle in. Seed won't get you the same plant, so cuttings are really the way to go at home.
GraftingDemanding
Late winter to early spring onto compatible magnolia rootstock · One to several seasons
Nurseries graft Jane onto a compatible magnolia rootstock in late winter or early spring to get it true to type. It's fussy work that takes one to several seasons to establish, which is why it's mostly left to the pros.
LayeringModerate
Spring · One or more seasons to root before separation
Come spring, you can pin a low branch down to the soil and let it root while it's still attached to the parent. Give it a season or more to root before you cut it loose, and what you end up with is an exact copy of the tree you started with.
Myths
Magnolias bloom too early and always lose their flowers to spring frost.
Here's the thing: Jane and the rest of the Little Girl series open 2 to 4 weeks later than the star and saucer magnolias. That late start usually gets the flowers past the worst spring frosts, and the tree often throws out a few more blooms come summer anyway.
Magnolia flowers and foliage are poisonous to dogs and cats.
No need to worry there, because the ASPCA lists magnolia as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, with nothing toxic in any part of it. So if a curious pet sniffs or mouths a fallen bloom, no harm done.