Introduction

A striking tree in summer or winter. The cultivar `Wada's Memory' has black-green leaves, large, six-inch, fragrant white blooms which appear before the leaves, and an upright or columnar growth habit (at least in youth). Dropping its large, six-inch leaves in fall with a yellow display of color, `Wada's Memory' forms an attractive dark green winter specimen. Young trees flower poorly. The pink fruits which develop split open to reveal bright red seeds, which sway from slender threads before dropping to the ground.

General Information

Scientific name: Magnolia kobus

Pronunciation: mag-NO-lee-uh KOE-bus

Common name(s): 'Wada's Memory' Kobus Magnolia, `Wada's Memory' Northern Japanese Magnolia

Family: Magnoliaceae

USDA hardiness zones: 5A through 8A (Fig. 2)

Origin: not native to North America

Invasive potential: little invasive potential

Uses: specimen; street without sidewalk; screen; container or planter; tree lawn 4-6 feet wide; tree lawn > 6 ft wide; sidewalk cutout (tree pit)

Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree

Description

Height: 25 to 30 feet

Spread: 25 to 35 feet

Crown uniformity: symmetrical

Crown shape: upright/erect, oval, pyramidal

Crown density: dense

Growth rate: moderate

Texture: coarse

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: alternate (Fig. 3)

Leaf type: simple

Leaf margin: entire, undulate

Leaf shape: obovate, elliptic (oval)

Leaf venation: brachidodrome, pinnate

Leaf type and persistence: deciduous

Leaf blade length: 4 to 8 inches

Leaf color: green

Fall color: yellow

Fall characteristic: showy

Flower

Flower color: white/cream/gray, pink

Flower characteristics: very showy

Fruit

Fruit shape: elongated, irregular

Fruit length: 1 to 3 inches

Fruit covering: dry or hard

Fruit color: pink, red

Fruit characteristics: attracts birds; showy; fruit/leaves not a litter problem

Trunk and Branches

Trunk/bark/branches: branches don't droop; showy; typically multi-trunked; thorns

Pruning requirement: little required

Breakage: resistant

Current year twig color: green, brown

Current year twig thickness: medium, thick

Wood specific gravity: unknown

Culture

Light requirement: full sun, partial sun or partial shade

Soil tolerances: clay; sand; loam; acidic; slightly alkaline; well-drained

Drought tolerance: moderate

Aerosol salt tolerance: unknown

Other

Roots: not a problem

Winter interest: yes

Outstanding tree: yes

Ozone sensitivity: unknown

Verticillium wilt susceptibility: susceptible

Pest resistance: free of serious pests and diseases

Use and Management

Kobus Magnolia should be grown in full sun or partial shade on any well-drained soil. Probably not for poorly-drained areas but supposedly tolerant of soil with an alkaline pH. It appears to grow well in clay soil. It will be available at selected nurseries.

Propagation is easily done by cuttings.

Pests and Diseases

No pests or diseases are of major concern but occasionally bothered by scale as are other Magnolias.