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Magnolia 'Betty' |
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| | Still small after five years in our garden, but the flowers get more plentiful every year |
| Family |
magnoliaceae |
| Life cycle |
tree (Z5-9) |
| Flowers |
purple (April) |
| Size |
12-15' |
| Light |
sun-part shade |
Now we've got both 'Elizabeth' and 'Betty' magnolias! While it sounds like Betty should be a littler version of Elizabeth, they are actually quite different, in habit and in flower color. Betty is purple, and blooms a bit later than some other magnolias. I was particularly drawn to this one when Herb of Point Phillip Perennials pointed out his own specimens, one growing as a tree, the other more like a bush, both still sporting blooms in early September. Looking for information on the web, I see no mention of such continuous bloom, so I was afraid it was just be the magic of the location that coaxes the flowers to keep coming at Point Phillip. But I've already seen a few blooms in July, so I'm confident that our Betty will provide charm and seclusion to the patio by our big pond. In her first year she provided exactly one flower, arriving two weeks later than our star magnolia's display. The photo above was for year 2 - not much overall growth at that point, but oh, those flowers! Since then, our little tree has grown slowly but steadily, providing ever more flowers at the edge of our pond-side patio.
This magnolia is one of the 'Little Girl' series, which are hybrids of M. liliflora 'Nigra' and M. stellata 'Rosea'.
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| | Looks like Betty is waving hankies at passersby |
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| | Flower in late July! |
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In our garden, this plant grows in the following areas: back yard, curve garden (back lobe) About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Magnolia 'Betty'
Visitors to this page have left the following comments| Ken | Mar 16, 2009 | I am looking for a Magnolia of the Betty variety to plant in my new home. I have planted this variety in two previous homes. The first was planted in Fort wayne, Indiana. I had purchased this variety at random at a local nursery. I was very happy with the growth habit, beautiful shape and branching of the tree and flower production. So much that I planted the same variety in Pittsburgh. It did take some hunting to find Betty in Pittsburgh. Both trees did have the habbit of reblooming at the end of the summer, but most buds did not open fully. I used Betty in both locations as part of the foundation landscape at the corner of both houses. The tree was easy to prune to keep from getting out of controll near the house. |
| Phyllis | Apr 01, 2009 | I've had Magnolia 'Ann' growing in my zone 5 garden in Spokane, Washington for over 15 years and repeatedly, she reblooms sporadically throughout the summer until the fall frosts! When I took branches with blooms in to my teacher for an Ikebana class (Japanese flower arranging) she couldn't believe her eyes and wanted to know how I had gotten it to rebloom. I design gardens and this is one deciduous shrub I always try to include in client's gardens! I even think the flowers look better when the tree has all of its beautiful foliage on.
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| Charlie | Apr 08, 2009 | I've got a Betty Magnolia growing in Nova Scotia, Canada. Buds just starting to grow today, apr8-09. Seems to handle our winters no problem.
Submit your plant sightings into a community science database at JUNPonline.com , great new site for plant enthusiasts. |
| Tracey Patrick | Jul 09, 2009 | I have been looking for a magnolis for my garden. I wanted something to remember my mum, she passed away in April...Her name was Bette (not Betty)what a purfect plant even the name matches..Well almost. |
| Betty | Jul 21, 2009 | The blooms on this Magnolia Betty look much like a Tulip Tree - which I have in my front yard. Does anyone agree with me? |
| Mary w | Jan 19, 2010 | I had a Betty where I used to live, in West Virginia--by now it's a good twelve feet high. It reblooms every year in the fall but I wouldn't say the bloom is continuous. |
| Patt | Jul 31, 2011 | I have Magnolia Jane growing in North Ga. It stands about 5 ft tall now and is getting fuller each year! The early pink/purple buds are so welcome in Spring. Mine was covered in blooms this year! |
| Betty Smart | Jun 25, 2012 | My husband purchased two Betty magnolias, set them out on the west side of our house approximately two feet from a brick wall. The bushes leaves are turning brown and don't look healthy. What can I do to them to help them to be healthy?what are the watering and food requirements? thank you for any information that you can give me.
Especially in their first year after being planted out, the root space of the magnolias should be consistently moist (but not soggy). The reflected heat from the brick wall will tend to increase any drought stress on the young trees. I would make sure the trees are well mulched, and then provide deep watering once or twice per week through the hot season. Unless your soil is exceptionally acidic or alkaline, it should not be necessary to feed the trees this year, although you might apply a general-purpose organic fertilizer for some gentle feeding. |
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Last modified:
December 26, 2012
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