Magnolia 'Little Girl' Series

Scientific Nomenclature: Magnolia liliiflora x Magnolia stellata (Results of select cultivar crossbreeding)

Common Name: Magnolia (Cultivars: 'Ann', 'Betty', 'Jane', 'Judy', 'Pinkie', 'Randy', 'Ricki', 'Susan')

Mature Height: 7–25 feet (depending on variety)

Mature Spread: 8–20 feet (depending on variety)

Growth Rate: Slow

Attracts Wildlife: Pollinators and birds

Messiness: The ‘Little Girl Series’ blooms later than other magnolias in mid to late spring. Flowers will drop after their spring bloom but the trees will sometimes sporadically bloom during summer. Leaves will drop in autumn, with fuzzy floral buds beginning to form during winter.

Shape: Compact, Multi-stemmed, rounded (varies by cultivar)

Native to Kentucky: No

Preferred Soils: All of the ‘Little Girl Series’ prefer loam with adequate moisture, though they will tolerate poorly drained, heavy clay soils or other dry soils.

Screening: Not for use as a screening tree. Recommended as an ornamental tree.

Drought Tolerance: Though tolerant of dry areas and heat, the ‘Little Girl Series’ is not drought tolerant.

Coniferous or Deciduous: Deciduous

Pruning: Most varieties in the ‘Little Girl Series’ do not need regular pruning other than to remove deadwood or damaged branches. Pruning should be done immediately after flowering to avoid damage to the tree.

Following being planted as a sapling, over 20 years one magnolia ‘Little Girl’ varietal will:

• Sequester ~431 pounds of CO2.
• Reduce stormwater runoff by 224 gallons.