Magnolia Denudata Sunrise

Magnolia Denudata Sunrise is a slow-growing deciduous magnolia with cream petals that have a flare of red at the base just like a sunrise. It’s a stunning specimen tree that flowers early and smells divinely sweet.

Magnolia Denudata is the Yulan magnolia often called the Lilytree. It’s native to China and is recorded as having grown in Buddhist temples there since 600AD as a symbol of purity. This beautiful magnolia is the official city flower of Shanghai and its cultivar Magnolia Denudata Sunrise retains its excellent aspects but adds a colourful, ornamental flower.

Magnolia Sunrise has large goblet-shaped flowers that smell sweet and attract pollinators, but it’s the artistic petals it’s best known for. Each petal is rich cream with a sunrise flare of red at the base. Blooms arrive in early spring on bare branches well before its green ovate foliage emerges. This is an upright compact magnolia that doesn’t get too large and perfectly suits small gardens or compact borders. It’s difficult to find a more attractive small specimen tree.

Height And Spread of Magnolia Denudata Sunrise
Slow growing Magnolia Sunrise reaches a maximum height of two metres over 10 years.

How Hardy Is Magnolia Denudata Sunrise
Yulan magnolia is winter hardy if it’s grown in well-drained soil. It needs a sheltered spot that’s free from lingering frosts.

How To Use Magnolia Denudata Sunrise
Excellent as a small, decorative statement tree, Magnolia Sunrise blooms early in the year even on younger plants. It will grow in a well-watered and fed container on a sheltered balcony and suits protected front gardens, mixed borders, or Japanese style spaces that need height and understated colour.

How To Care For Magnolia Denudata Sunrise
Magnolia Denudata Sunrise grows best on slightly acidic soil. If your soil is alkaline add plenty of ericaceous compost to the planting hole and top it up with pine or bracken-based mulch once or twice a year.
Magnolia needs full sun and shelter from the prevailing wind. Because this is an early flowering magnolia it may be necessary to cover the buds in fleece if a late hard frost is forecast.
Pruning isn’t necessary, but you can remove any wayward or crossed branches in winter.