One of the most satisfying moments for us at the Botanic Garden is when a tree that we have grown from seed flowers for the first time. Often this takes years or even decades. This spring, we happily observed the first flower of Magnolia macrophylla, a plant that was started from seed in 1991 by then-propagator Tracey Putnam. This is a tree with dramatic, even flamboyant, appeal. Its leaves are among the largest of any temperate tree, and can grow to three feet long by one foot wide. The ivory white flowers are equally oversized, the largest of any North American tree, and have been measured at 14 inches across! With such tropical luxuriance, it is hard to believe such a tree is found growing in native populations as far north as Ohio.
     During the past few years we have expanded and improved our collection of this genus of hardy flowering trees. We collected cuttings from other arboreta (such as the Scott Foundation at Swarthmore College and Harvard's Arnold Arboretum), purchased new cultivars from commercial sources, and received seed collected from eastern Asia. Some of our magnolia collection suffered in the heavy snow of April 1, 1997. New growth and corrective pruning have helped restore the shape to venerable specimens of Magnolia stellata and M. x loebneri, whose brittle branches were hit hard in the storm. But we have also decided to start adding and testing some new blood.
     One rare species, Magnolia cylindrica, was planted near the President's Residence this past spring. This plant was grown from seed received from the Hangzhou Botanic Garden in China and is one of a few growing in New England. The flowers, three small papery sepals and six petals, creamy-white splotched with purple at the base, are about 4 inches by 1½ inches and are held in an upright tuliplike shape. In bud the tree appears bedecked with ivory candles. Although only 6 feet now, it should be spectacular when it reaches its full size of 25 feet. Other recent plantings on campus include Magnolia 'Susan,' a small tree (10 to 15 feet) with reddish purple blossoms, and M. x loebneri 'Neil McEacharn,' an English hybrid with pink flushed flowers.
     Perhaps the rarest magnolia of the temperate regions is Magnolia amoena, the charming magnolia. Found in 1933 by Professor W.C. Cheng, in the Tienmu Mountains of Chekiang Province in China, it grows to 40 feet and has rose pink sepals and petals that form a cup. We obtained seed in 1996 from the Hangzhou Botanic Garden and now have three plants growing in the Conservatory. We have been fortunate to find many sheltered, warm spots on campus where we can successfully grow plants that prefer a hardiness zone a few zones warmer than ours. However, we plan to increase our numbers of this rare specimen prior to setting it out for hardiness testing. This way, if we fail with a plant outside, we can pass along others to gardens further south.
     On a recent trip to the Arnold Arboretum, we collected cuttings of both old and new magnolias. Magnolia biondii is a rare species that was only recently brought out of China. Another rare Chinese species, Magnolia sinensis, is a large shrub with downward facing flowers. The intense red stamens at the center contrast beautifully with the saucer-shaped white petals. While we try to grow plants that are of wild origin, or are rare and endangered, we also grow select cultivars. At the Arnold we collected tried and true cultivars of  Magnolia x soulangiana:  'Alexandrina,'  'Brozzonii,'  'Candolleana,' and  'Verbanica.'  Magnolia  'Brozzonii' is known as the aristocrat of the soulangianas, with elongated upright white flowers.
     The last 20 years have seen an explosion of exceptional new hybrids and selections. A major breakthrough was the

development of yellow-flowered cultivars using the genes of Magnolia acuminata, our native cucumber magnolia, which has greenish-yellow flowers. 'Elizabeth,' developed at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, forms a broad dome, and when spring appears, the plant signals its approval by cloaking its branches with soft-yellow tuliplike blossoms. Our other new yellow cultivar, 'Butterflies,' has 3 to 4 inch flowers that are an even darker yellow. Both are hardy, so our greatest problem will be finding a stage on campus equal to their drama.
     Other recent additions have come from the Gossler Farms Nursery of Springfield, Oregon, the most complete commercial source of magnolias in the U.S. (call 541-746-3922 for their catalog). Magnolia 'Caerhays Belle' is a cross of two superb Chinese magnolias, M. sprengeri and M. sargentiana. The seedlings of this pairing took 14 years to bloom. This cultivar has huge, heavily textured, light salmon pink blossoms of 12 petals. While neither of its parents is dependably hardy here, we hope to sneak this diva past winter's grasp with careful siting. Another stellar selection from Gossler's is Magnolia 'Vulcan,' with 12 inch blossoms of incredible glowing red-purple.
     Great collections grow by increments, with much sifting and testing of both plants of the natural world and those developed by the breeders' art. With these luscious new magnolias our collection is moving closer to the greatness we strive for in growing our Garden.
     A great source of information on magnolias is The Magnolia Society. Check out their website at www.tallahassee.net/~magnolia.