MERRILL MAGNOLIA - MAGNOLIA x LOEBNERI 'MERRILL'

Common Name: Merrill magnolia, Loebner magnolia

Scientific Name: 
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Species: x loebneri 'Merrill'

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 20 to 60 ft
Width: ​20 to 45 ft

Description: This hybrid magnolia is known for its strong winter hardiness, fast growth, and pleasant and refined growth form and habit. It has large white flowers in spring (usually mid-April) that emerge before foliage, making it an excellent specimen tree. In fall it has showy pink pods and copper-bronze foliage.

It is not tolerant of extremely wet or dry soils and not very tolerant of urban pollution, but urban yard plantings away from the road are usually not a problem. It does best in slightly acidic, rich and moist soils, full sun to part shade, and in a somewhat protected area to avoid spring frost damage to flowers.