Michelia maudiae seeds, Magnolia

Michelia maudiae seeds

Michelia maudiae belongs to the family of the Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family. M. maudiae is native to South China. The genus name Michelia comes from the Italian Botanist Pietro Antonia Micheli. Michelia is one of the oldest genuses in the family of the Magnoliaceae. M. maudiae grows as a little tree and reaches a height of about 4 m. The Magnolia grows only very slow into the height. The trunk is gray to brownish in color. The leaves of M. maudiae are simple, oblong and leathery. They are bluish green and glossy on the upper side and slightly grayish green at the bottom side. The leaves get 7 to 18 cm long and 4 to 8 cm wide. The flowers are big, whitish and have a strong, sweetish odor. The flower is reddish at the basis. The flower gets 15 cm in diameter. Compared to other Magnolia species where the flowers stand at the end of the branches, M. maudiae is special, because her flowers stand in the leaf axilla. The fruit gets 11 cm in diameter and contains the red seeds.

Cultivation

The seeds of M. maudiae need a cold period before they start germinating. Therefore the seeds should be stored for 1,5 months in the fridge. After that stratification germination occurs at a temperature of about 25°C when the substrate is kept constantly moist. The germination time varies. In winter the temperature should not fall under 10°C.