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Loughmiller, Campbell and Lynn
Magnolia ashei Weatherby
Ashe's magnolia, Ashe magnolia, Deciduous magnolia
Magnoliaceae (Magnolia Family)
USDA Symbol: MAAS
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
The Ashe magnolia is a small tree with a broad, round top. It has leaves 2–3 feet long and sometimes a foot wide. They are wider near the tip than at the stem, green on the upper surface and whitish beneath. The blossoms, which grow at the end of stout stems, are fragrant, creamy white, cup-shaped, opening out flat as they mature. Each blossom has 6–8 petals, up to 6 inches long and about half as wide, and pointed at the tip. The pistils form a fleshy, oval, seed-bearing cone which enlarges as it matures, 2–4 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. The seeds are attached to the cone by slender threads.
This rare species of very local distribution is closely related to Bigleaf Magnolia, which is taller and has larger leaves and flowers. Named for its discoverer, William Willard Ashe (1872-1932, pioneer forester of the United States Forest Service.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Pinnate
Leaf Margin: Entire
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 12-36 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: May , Jun
Distribution
USA: FLNative Distribution: FL Panhandle
Native Habitat: Endemic to a few bluffs and bayheads of the FL Panhandle
USDA Native Status: L48(N)
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part ShadeSoil Description: Rich, acid soils.
Conditions Comments: Horticulturalists hope this plant will provide a large-flowered magnolia with flowers at a height that allows them to be easily seen. Plants flower when very small.
Propagation
Description: Fresh seed sown in fall; stratified seed; semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summerSeed Collection: When ripe, the seeds are bright red, fleshy, oily, soft on the outside and stony on the inside. Gather when ripe. Clean and store in moist sand or sphagnum moss in refrigerator. Cold, moist storage also serves at stratification.
Seed Treatment: Stored seed must be kept moist and cool which will also serve as stratification. Stratify at least 60 days.
Commercially Avail: yes
From the National Suppliers Directory
According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:American Native Nursery - Quakertown, PA
Bibliography
Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy WasowskiBibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
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Recommended Species Lists
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View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Magnolia ashei in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Magnolia ashei in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Magnolia ashei
Metadata
Record Modified: 2009-02-18Research By: TWC Staff
