Magnolia grandiflora Alta ='Tmgh'

Common name: Bull Bay Magnolia Altac

Description: This magnificent evergreen magnolia cultivar is one of the finest selections for UK gardens, offering exceptional reliability and earlier flowering than many other forms. From mid to late summer, large, spectacular creamy-white flowers appear, each bloom measuring up to 25cm across with thick, waxy petals surrounding a central cone of golden stamens. The flowers release an intoxicating lemony fragrance that can perfume an entire garden on warm evenings. 'Alta' is particularly valued for beginning to flower at a younger age than the species, often producing blooms within 3-4 years of planting. The large, glossy evergreen leaves are deep green above with attractive rusty-brown felted undersides, creating year-round architectural presence. The leaves can reach 25cm in length, providing bold, tropical-looking foliage throughout the year. This cultivar demonstrates excellent cold hardiness and vigour, making it more reliable in UK conditions than many other grandiflora selections. The tree develops a handsome pyramidal habit and makes an outstanding specimen for larger gardens, or can be trained against walls where it creates a spectacular living tapestry of glossy foliage and sumptuous flowers.

Other benefits: intensely fragrant flowers, flowers at young age, bold evergreen foliage, architectural form, excellent cold hardiness, long-lived specimen

Wildlife attraction: bees, beetles, pollinators

Height & spread (approx.) at 10 years: 4m x 2.5m

Position: full sun to partial shade; benefits from shelter from cold winds; excellent against warm walls

Soil pH: prefers neutral to slightly acidic conditions; tolerates slightly alkaline soils

Moisture: moderate watering required; prefers consistently moist but well-drained soil; benefits from mulching to retain moisture

Winter hardiness: hardy to -15°C; more cold-hardy than many grandiflora cultivars