Botanical name: Magnolia (liliiflora x stellata) cultivars include: "Ann," "Betty," "Jane,"

Botanical name: Magnolia (liliiflora x stellata) cultivars include: "Ann," "Betty," "Jane," "Pinkie," "Randy" and "Susan."
Attributes: These very hardy, long-blooming magnolias were bred to have later bloom and frost-resistant flowers. The flowers can be nipped by severe cold, but they are produced in such abundance during several weeks that latent flower buds will replace any freeze-damaged flowers. They are large shrubs or small trees, which make them usable in small gardens.
Bloom color: Pink to light purple.
Bloom time: Midspring, sparingly until fall.
Culture: Plant Little Girl Magnolias in moist, well-drained soil. They thrive in full sun to high shade but have the heaviest flowering in at least half-day sun. Plants should be dug only in spring, but container-grown and spring balled and burlap-covered plants can be planted any time the soil is workable, spring through fall. Mulch newly planted plants well, and water them regularly for their first season or two. They are very heat and drought-tolerant once established. Pruning should be done in spring, just after their peak bloom.
Landscaping tips: Grace your home's entryway or patio with these beautiful ornamentals. They can be massed along property boundaries or planted under tall trees for vibrant spring color. You can trim them up into multitrunked small trees or allow them to form large shrubs. Jane is decidedly more upright and larger than the other "Girls" and is a great substitute for saucer magnolia.
Cost: 3-gallon, container-grown plants can be as inexpensive as $20, a specimen-sized (4 foot) balled and burlap-covered plant usually costs about $70.
Source: Powell Gardens (www.powellgardens.org)