Silver Cloud Michelia

Silver Cloud Michelia (Magnolia doltsopa 'Silver Cloud', still widely sold as Michelia doltsopa) is an evergreen magnolia that screens and perfumes at the same time. Expect around 8m tall and 5m wide in a home garden over fifteen years, clothed to the ground in dark glossy leaves. In late winter and early spring it opens masses of white and cream flowers with a scent that carries across a yard.

Why you'll love it

• Fragrance you notice from the house. The winter and spring flowering is heavy and strongly perfumed, arriving when little else is in bloom.
• Evergreen screening with height. Dense foliage from top to bottom makes a solid year round screen at a scale that blocks a two storey outlook.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. The root system is non-invasive, so it can be planted nearer to paving, paths and services than most trees this size.
• Low maintenance once away. Wind and humidity tolerant, needing little more than a feed and a light shape.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 3m apart for a tall evergreen screen. At that spacing the canopies close into a continuous wall while each tree keeps its lower branches.

Driveways and avenues. Stretch the spacing to 5m for an avenue, giving each canopy room to show its full rounded shape.

Feature and shade planting. A single specimen makes a generous shade tree for a lawn, and the scent is best appreciated on a tree you walk past daily.

Growing Silver Cloud Michelia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the densest growth and heaviest flowering in sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and handles coastal humidity well. It takes light frost only, so young trees in cold districts need shelter through their first two winters.

Soil. Deep, well drained soil enriched with compost, slightly acidic if you have the choice. It will not tolerate waterlogging, so raise the planting hole on heavy clay.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then reduce as the roots go down. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the trunk.

Pruning. Trim straight after flowering if you want a tighter screen. It responds well to shaping, and lifting the lowest branches turns a screen into a shade tree.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is sold in advanced sizes only: 45L, 100L and 180L. All three are established trees with a formed canopy, so you are buying immediate height. The 45L is the practical choice for a screening row, while the 100L and 180L suit a feature position where presence matters straight away.

Trees of this size are heavy, so plan access and dig the hole before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, delivered Australia wide with a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect a quiet first season while the roots spread, then steady growth. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete guide to magnolia care in Australia
• Browse the full magnolia range
• Screening trees in the 4m to 8m range
• Other fragrant plants for the garden

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Three metres apart in a single row. Closer than that and the lower branches shade each other out, leaving the base of the screen thin where you most want cover.

Is it the same plant as a michelia?

Yes. Botanists moved the michelias into Magnolia, so the same tree is sold under both names. Nothing about the plant or its care has changed.

When does it flower, and how strong is the scent?

Late winter into early spring, with white and cream flowers over the whole canopy. The perfume carries several metres on a still morning, which is why it earns a spot near a path or window.