Spring Welcome® Magnolia
Scientific Name: Magnolia xloebneri ‘Ruth’
Family: Magnoliaceae
Location on Campus: 46.8955, -96.80325
Description: Outstanding pest-free winter hardy selection of Loebner Magnolia that blooms reliably even after early spring frosts. Spring Welcome® is dense, well branched with flowers that are pale pink in bud, gradually opening to pristine white.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 3 to 7.
Natural Habitat: Native to Japan. Cultivar developed at NDSU.
Mature Size: Height: 15’-20’, Spread: 10’-15’
Form (Shape): Rounded, oval crown.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Foliage: Alternate, elliptic leaves that emerge bronze and turn medium green in summer. Leaves turn yellow-brown in autumn.
Texture: Medium.
Flowers: Pink in bud, gradually opening to clean white with 11 to 13+ tepals and 3 to4 ½" in diameter. Blooms reliably and flower buds are hardy even below -35 °F. No tepal damage even after early spring frosts.
Fruit: 2-inch aggregate, reddish-orange fruit. Light: Best grown in full sun to part shade. Best flowering is seen in full sun.
Soil: Prefers moist, well-drained loams.
Propagation: Bud grafting or rooted stem cuttings.
Failure Patterns: Failure is uncommon if grown in suitable conditions. Intolerant of urban pollutants, soil extremes, and high winds. Frost damage in early spring is a problem in the Midwest.
Disease and Insects: No serious insect or disease problems.
Landscape Use: Great addition to lawns, foundations, or woodland peripheries.
Availability: Readily available in nursery trade.
