Aren't the magnolias glorious?

Look around and you'll see these spring beauties in their resplendent glory. Of course, when you hear about beautiful magnolias, the South, not the arid Great Columbia Basin, comes to mind. Magnolias do surprisingly well in our region and should be considered an outstanding choice as a spring flowering tree or shrub.

If you visit the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at 1620 S. Union St., behind the Mid-Columbia Library, you can see a wonderful specimen of the saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana). The saucer magnolia is a cross between Magnolia denudata and Magnolia liliflora that was first accomplished in France about 1826.

Saucer magnolias are multistemmed trees (or tall shrubs, depending on your point of view) that grow to about 25 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide, but this varies greatly with the cultivar and region. They grow fairly upright when young, then more oval or rounded when mature. The large leaves and gray bark are interesting features but the abundant large single flowers make it a spectacular specimen tree. The white, pink or purplish cup-shaped flowers open before the leaves develop in the spring. They are huge -- 5 to 10 inches diameter.

While references say they need "moist, fertile well-drained deep soils with high organic matter," they seem to do well in our area if planted in a friendly spot where the heat and sun aren't too intense. I recommend planting them in a protected location with full sun and a thick layer of organic mulch. Also, provide adequate moisture and avoid drought stress. The plant has few pest or disease problems.

The only drawback is that it flowers very early in the spring, giving spectacular displays that can be cut short by late spring frosts. To get around this a bit, the U.S. National Arboretum developed eight magnolia hybrids it dubbed "The Girls." These hybrids flower about two weeks later than the saucer magnolia or the star magnolia -- and they occasionally bloom in the summer. They grow in full sun to light shade and will tolerate poorly drained soils and dry soil conditions.

There also are varieties and hybrids of the Japanese magnolia (Magnolia kobus). The tree grows to about 25 to 30 feet in landscapes and is showy, with pink to white fragrant spring blooms. However, other cultivated forms are popular. My personal favorite is the star magnolia (Magnolia kobus var. stellata). It grows 15 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. I adore it for its bright white "starry" blooms with numerous straplike floppy petals. Often pruned to a smaller size, it's more lovely in its natural size and shape. Lower branches can be removed when the plant is young to develop a treelike form.

An eye-catching hybrid of the Japanese magnolia and stellata is "Leonard Messel." Its stellatalike flowers have a pretty pink outside and a light cream inside and are wind and frost resistant. If you're looking for early spring blooms, you won't be disappointed.

* Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Office in Benton County.