This is one of my favourite small trees. I love combining it with the larger leaved Magnolia grandiflora, whose leaves are the same colour, just lots larger. Also looks great with NZ natives, with the more olive and russet tones tying in perfectly, particularly with totara trees - again, for that textural contrast.
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| Michelia yunnanensis in flower |
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| The buds are like russet velvet |
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Lovely for combining with larger leaved trees, with
similar colour - here is Magnolia Little Gem |
The flower buds are like a russet velvet, then opening up to these gorgeous creamy flowers. Did I mention that the flowers are fragrant? I have some inside my office at the moment and they are perfuming the air beautifully.
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| These are being trimmed into loose standards. |
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| I adore the Michelia combined with NZ native grasses and other russet/olive green plants |
There are several variations on this Michelia, with M. gracipes at least as nice. I am training these ones into standards, but they can also be trimmed into hedges, loose balls, or left to grow into a naturally pyramidal small tree. Gorgeous!!
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| The flowers are beautifully fragrant |
