Ashe Magnolia. This has to be one of our most intriguing native Magnolias which grows in only 6 counties of the Florida panhandle. It reminds one of a miniature M. macrophylla. It has leaves up to 24" long, shaped somewhat like a violin with silvery undersides. But without a doubt its most incredible asset is its 10" fragrant white flowers on plants as small as 1 foot. It will usually flower in 3 to 4 years from seed, so one can count on flowers on very small plants. I would consider it a large multi-trunked shrub to a small tree, where it can reach up to 12-15' in our life time, but a mature plant can mature at 30' high with an equal spread. It is a considered the rarest of our native Magnolias which could be in danger of being destroyed in its native haunts because of habitat disturbance. I have given it a zone 5 for a northern limit because of one gardener that I found on the internet who said it was growing and doing well in his garden. Being a Florida zone 9 native, it might even grow into zone 10. Fall color is yellow. Give it good drainage and uniform moisture for best growth. Sun to part shade.
Zones 5-9
