The illustrated growing guide
Saucer Magnolia
Magnolia × soulangeana
Family Magnoliaceae
Est. zones 4-9
The big goblet-flowered magnolia that stops traffic in early spring — but it blooms so early that a late frost can turn the open flowers to brown mush some years. In frost-prone spots, plant the later-blooming 'Little Girl' hybrids ('Jane', 'Ann') or star magnolia to dodge the freeze. When it works, nothing is more spectacular. Fleshy leaves and a broad low canopy the rest of the year.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Moderate water
Moderate growth
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing saucer magnolia? Hang it.
Our Flowering Trees collection carries saucer magnolia — Magnolia soulangeana, print Nº 2, “Saucer Magnolia.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
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Overview
Will saucer magnolia suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what saucer magnolia actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-9Saucer Magnolia at a glance
Common saucer magnolia problems
- Scale
- Magnolia Scale (large, sappy)
- Almost none significant
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow saucer magnolia: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate saucer magnolia
When to spray saucer magnolia
Dormant season. Horticultural oil for magnolia scale.
Growing season. Oil for scale.
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The year
What saucer magnolia asks for, month by month.
The saucer magnolia year, month by month
BloomWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
The saucer magnolia year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar bloom
- Apr bloom
- May quiet month
- Jun quiet month
- Jul quiet month
- Aug quiet month
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Saucer Magnolia in the garden system
- Understory layer tree
What saucer magnolia is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of saucer magnolia, ruled as a catalogue.
Best saucer magnolia varieties & cultivars
'Alexandrina', 'Rustica Rubra'; star magnolia (M. stellata) is smaller, later, more frost-safe; 'Ann'/'Jane' (later-blooming 'Little Girl' hybrids dodge frost)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to saucer magnoliayet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Saucer Magnolia questions, answered straight.
Is saucer magnolia safe for kids and pets?
Saucer Magnolia is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate saucer magnolia?
Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.
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Elsewhere
Where saucer magnolia sits in the library.
Flowering Dogwood
Eastern Redbud
Crape Myrtle
Maple