Little Sarah Magnolia

Little Sarah Magnolia (Magnolia laevifolia 'Little Sarah', still widely sold as Michelia) is the compact evergreen hedge for a garden that does not have room for a full sized screen. It reaches about 2m tall and 1.5m wide, carries small glossy leaves with a felted brown underside, and opens velvety brown buds into fragrant cream flowers through late winter and spring. The roots are well behaved, so it can sit close to paving.

Why you'll love it

• Fragrance you can actually smell. The cream flowers carry a sweet scent across a courtyard, and the buds themselves are a feature before they open.
• Compact by nature. At roughly 2m by 1.5m it screens a fence without the annual battle of holding a bigger plant down, and it holds small leathery leaves to the base all year.
• Non-invasive roots. Fibrous rather than aggressive, which makes it safe near paths, driveways and services.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it suits a boundary hedge in a yard with animals.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 80cm apart in a single row for a dense hedge. The tighter than usual spacing suits its narrow habit, and gives a solid face at around 1.8m within three seasons.

Small gardens and feature planting. A single plant works as a low feature by a doorway or seat, where the fragrance is close enough to enjoy.

Pots and courtyards. A pot 500mm or wider holds it near 1.5m and keeps the scent on a balcony or terrace, provided you keep the water up in summer.

Growing Little Sarah Magnolia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with full sun giving the heaviest flowering and the densest growth. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, handles humidity well, and is frost hardy once established, though young plants want shelter through their first winter in cold districts.

Soil. Free draining and slightly acidic, with compost worked through the backfill. Waterlogging is the main risk, so on heavy clay plant on a raised mound. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper as the roots go down. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. It is wind tolerant, so an exposed boundary needs nothing special.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after flowering to thicken the hedge. Avoid cutting into bare old wood, since this magnolia is slow to reshoot from it. One or two trims a year is enough.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown here as tube stock. Your plant arrives young, usually a single stem under 30cm with a strong root system, which is the value way to plant a long hedge and the reason most people order it by the tray. Expect three to four years from a tube to a hedge that screens.

Tubes travel well because there is little top growth to bruise, and a fortnight of stillness after planting is normal before new growth begins. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete guide to magnolia care in Australia
• Small magnolia varieties for compact gardens
• Compare the full magnolia range
• Other screening plants in the 1m to 2m range

Common questions

How far apart do I plant it for a hedge?

Eighty centimetres apart in a single row. It is narrower than most hedging plants, so the usual one metre spacing leaves gaps that take an extra season to close.

How fast does it grow?

Moderately: roughly 20 to 30cm a year once established, faster in a warm garden with water and feed. It is not the choice if you need a screen this year.

Is it the same plant as Michelia?

Yes. Michelia yunnanensis was reclassified into Magnolia, so the two names refer to the same plant and you will see both on labels.