Champaca

Champaca (Magnolia champaca, also sold as Michelia champaca) is a tall, glossy-leaved magnolia grown for the fragrance of its cream-yellow flowers. Mature trees can pass 10m tall and 8m wide, though in a subtropical garden it will likely stay smaller. Plant it where the scent can be enjoyed, beside a patio or seating area.

Why you'll love it

• Highly fragrant flowers. Cream-yellow blooms usually open in spring and summer, and often keep coming all year in mild climates.
• Glossy leaves, smooth pale bark. It is a handsome tree even when it is not in flower.
• Curious seedpods. The flowers are followed by round seedpods that look like amaretti biscuits.
• A tree with a history. The perfumed petals were once used to make hair oil, which is where the word shampoo comes from.
• Flexible in cold gardens. Where winters bite, grow it in a pot and bring it indoors over winter.

Where it works best

Feature tree near living areas. Put it beside a patio, pergola or seating area, with 6m of clear space from buildings and other large trees so the crown can develop.

Sensory gardens. Pair it with other scented plants so something is perfumed through the year.

Large pots in cooler districts. Grow it in a big container and move it under cover when cold weather arrives. Winter protection is the only way to keep it where frost visits.

Growing Champaca in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the best flowering, though young plants appreciate some part shade. It needs a frost free position, so it suits tropical and subtropical gardens. In any district with cold winters, keep it in a pot and bring it indoors.

Soil. A well drained, fertile loam. Mulch and fertilise at planting to give the young tree a good start.

Water and feed. Water young trees regularly while the roots establish and keep the mulch topped up. Feed with a slow release fertiliser each spring.

Pruning. It needs little. Clip back to shape after flowering and remove any damaged growth.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Champaca as tube stock only. A tube is a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, and it is the sensible way to start a tree that will grow large. Be realistic about timing: a tube-grown tree needs some years before it flowers freely, so this is a plant for the long term. Plants travel upright and should settle within a few weeks in warm weather.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse our magnolia range
• Michelias and port wine magnolias
• The michelia care guide
• Most fragrant plants for Australian gardens

Common questions

Is Champaca the same as Michelia champaca?

Yes, it is the same tree, listed under both names. Botanists now place the michelias inside Magnolia, which is why you will see both.

How big will it get?

In tropical forest it passes 10m tall and 8m wide. In a subtropical garden it will likely stay smaller, but plan for a large tree and give it room.

Can I grow it where it gets cold?

Not in the ground if you get frost. It is a frost free plant, so in cold districts grow it in a pot and enjoy it indoors over winter.