Magnolia grandiflora ‘Super Gem’

Magnolia 'Super Gem' (Magnolia grandiflora 'Super Gem') is the evergreen screen for a garden with height to spare and no width to give away. It holds at about 4m tall and only 2m across, dense from the ground up, with glossy dark leaves backed in bronze felt. Large white flowers open through the warmer months and carry a lemon and vanilla scent across a courtyard.

Why you'll love it

• Narrow by nature. At roughly 4m by 2m it screens a first floor window without taking the garden bed with it.
• Furnished to the ground. The compact habit keeps low branches leafy, so there is no bare stem at fence height to fill in later.
• Fragrant and evergreen. Creamy white blooms through the warm months, and a full canopy in July as well as January.
• Roots you can plant near paving. The root system is fibrous and non-invasive, unusual for an evergreen of this height.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, wind tolerant, salt tolerant and drought tolerant once established.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row for a solid evergreen wall. Closer spacing does not close the gap any faster and makes watering harder.

Small gardens and side boundaries. A 2m spread suits the strip between a house and a fence, where the standard form is far too wide.

Pots and entries. A container 500mm or wider holds it near 2.5m to 3m, which suits a matched pair at a doorway.

Growing Magnolia 'Super Gem' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and heaviest flowering, though it accepts part shade. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and its salt tolerance takes it onto coastal blocks. In cold southern districts it is frost hardy once established, but shelter young plants through their first two winters.

Soil. Well drained and slightly acidic. Work compost through the backfill, and on heavy clay plant on a raised mound rather than a hole that holds water. Keep 75mm of mulch clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer keeps the leaf colour strong.

Pruning. Very little is needed, which is the point of this selection. Tip prune after flowering for extra density, and lift the lowest branches only if you want a clear trunk.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 200mm and 250mm pots sold in packs for a run of screening, then 300mm, 400mm and 500mm, and on to 45L, 75L, 100L and 200L specimens. The smaller pots arrive as young single stemmed plants, often knee to waist height, and take three to four years to screen. From 45L up you are buying a tree with presence on day one.

Light leaf bronzing after transit is normal rather than a fault, and expect roughly 30 to 50cm of growth a year once established. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the complete guide to magnolia care in Australia.
• Compare selections in our magnolia collection.
• See other tall and narrow screening plants for tight boundaries.
• Browse small magnolia varieties for Australian gardens.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Space plants 1.5m apart for a continuous screen. For a row of individual trees where you want to read each shape, stretch that to 2.5m.

How is it different from a standard Magnolia grandiflora?

The species reaches well over 8m and spreads wide with it. This selection stops near 4m by 2m, so it fits a suburban block without annual reduction pruning.

Can I grow it in a pot long term?

Yes, in a pot at least 500mm wide with genuine drainage. Root prune every three to four years and expect it to settle around 2.5m to 3m.