Performance of Yellow-flowering Magnolias in Zone 6b

Abstract

Yellow-flowering magnolias (Magnolia sp.) were evaluated for flower color, bloom duration, and growth rate in U.S. Department Agriculture (USDA), Hardiness Zone 6b, McMinnville, TN. Of the 30 cultivars evaluated, all were reported to have yellow blooms; however, tepal color ranged from light pink with some yellow coloration, creamy yellow to dark yellow. ‘Daphne’, ‘Judy Zuk’, and ‘Yellow Bird’ had the highest yellow color readings on the outside of the tepal and would often be among the latest cultivars to bloom. Magnolia cultivars Gold Star, Golden Gala, Stellar Acclaim, Sun Spire, and Sundance had the lightest yellow tepal color on the outside of the tepal. ‘Goldfinch’, ‘Butterflies’, and ‘Elizabeth’ were the earliest to bloom; ‘Elizabeth’ had one of the longest flowering periods. ‘Carlos’ and ‘Gold Star’ were two of the tallest cultivars in the test compared with Butterflies, Gold Cup, Golden Gift, Golden Pond, Golden Rain, Green Bee, Honey Liz, Koban Dori, Skyland’s Best, and Sunsation, which had the least height growth. Trunk diameters ranged from 7.4 to 18.4 cm after 9 years in the evaluation. Cultivars Golden Gala and Gold Star had trunk diameters greater than twice the size of Golden Pond, Golden Rain, Green Bee, Honey Liz, and Koban Dori. Powdery mildew (Phyllactinia corylea and Microsphaera alni) was observed on all cultivars; however, Golden Sun, Green Bee, Solar Flair, Stellar Acclaim, Sunburst, and Yellow Bird had greater than 47% of the leaf area affected with powdery mildew. Over 60% of the canopy was affected with powdery mildew on ‘Green Bee’, ‘Stellar Acclaim’, ‘Sunburst’, and ‘Yellow Bird’. Powdery mildew was less than 20% on both the foliage and plant canopy of ‘Banana Split’, ‘Butterflies’, ‘Carlos’, ‘Elizabeth’, and ‘Sun Spire’.