Scientific Name
Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Saucer Magnolia’
For magnolia-starved Denverites, this has long been the traditional go-to plant tough enough to survive the region’s winters, even if its flowers were frequently frozen after only a few days of bloom or, in some years, damaged in the bud before they could even open. A spring like 2025, with blooms lasting 10 days or more, is well worth the wait. The flowers are large, up to 8 inches across, and lightly fragrant. The most common flower color is pink with white interiors.
Saucer magnolia is a hybrid of two magnolia species from China, Magnolia denudata and Magnolia liliiflora, first produced by French botanist and former army officer Etienne Soulange-Bodin in 1820. Since then, it has become arguably the most widely planted magnolia in the world. The plant and its flowers are so attractive that the many cultivars introduced afterward have not significantly improved upon the original.
Saucer magnolia is usually a multi-stemmed or short-trunked tree that grows to around 20 feet tall, occasionally larger, and has smooth gray bark. Regis is home to the second largest saucer magnolia in Colorado, measuring 20 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 15.6 inches. The other Colorado champion trees range from 20 to 29 feet tall.
The flowers emerge in early to mid-spring before the leaves appear, creating an unobstructed display. Isolated flowers often continue blooming sporadically throughout the summer. The deciduous leaves are 3 to 6 inches long and about half as wide, and the stems are stout. The terminal flower buds, formed the previous fall, are ½ to ¾ inch long, fuzzy and visible throughout the winter. Saucer magnolia is considered a relatively unfussy magnolia to grow, provided care is taken during planting, as is true for most magnolias because of their coarse, fleshy surface roots.