Royal Robes Banana Shrub. This incredible selection of Michelia is sometimes relegated to species status. I first ordered this cultivar from a small nursery in China back in the mid 80's, and the flowers are a deep burgundy with an unusual spicy fragrance, somewhat different from the fruity fragrance of the species. This may be the same cultivar as 'Purple Queen' which was introduced to Japan by Mr. Akari Shibamichi. Having grown this plant for several years and leaving it outside in containers with no cold damage, I think we would be safe in saying that this selection would be hardy into zone 7b. It's growth habit is similar to the species, although slightly more compact. This will be an awesome plant for the Deep South. It doesn't root as easily as the species and most plants that I have seen in Japan have been grafted. The only problem with this selection is Oleander scale (sometimes referred to as Magnolia scale) which can be controlled.
Zones 7b-9
