Coolwyn Gloss Magnolia

Coolwyn Gloss Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Coolwyn Gloss') is the evergreen screen for gardeners who want the boundary to look like a planting rather than a fence. It settles at about 6m tall and 3.5m wide, holds deep glossy foliage all year, and carries large creamy white flowers with the lemon and vanilla scent the southern magnolias are known for. Growth is steady rather than quick, which is why the finished screen stays dense.

Why you'll love it

• Cover in every season. It keeps its leaves through winter, so the screen is working in July as well as January.
• Fragrance you notice from the path. Big creamy white blooms through the warmer months, scented enough to carry across a courtyard.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. Fibrous and non-invasive, so it can sit near driveways, paths and services where most 6m trees cannot.
• Hardy across most of the country. Frost hardy, wind tolerant, salt tolerant enough for a coastal block, and drought tolerant once established.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Slow, even growth means it holds its shape with very little pruning.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 2m apart for a continuous screen. That spacing lets each tree furnish to the ground rather than shading out its own lower branches, which is the usual cause of a gappy magnolia hedge.

Driveways and feature planting. Stretch the spacing to 4m for a formal avenue, so each canopy reads as a separate tree. A single specimen in lawn, or a matched pair at an entry, uses the glossy foliage properly.

Growing Coolwyn Gloss Magnolia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering; part shade is tolerated with a looser result. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and frost hardiness means cold southern districts are no obstacle, though young plants want shelter through their first two winters. Avoid the wet tropics, where humidity encourages leaf spotting.

Soil. Well drained and slightly acidic, with compost worked through the backfill. It will not tolerate waterlogging, so plant on a raised mound in heavy clay. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer is enough.

Pruning. Very little is required. Tip prune after flowering to thicken a screen, and remove the lowest branches only if you want a clear trunk.

What to expect when it arrives

This magnolia is sold as advanced stock only, in 300mm and 400mm pots and in 75L, 100L and 200L containers. The 300mm and 400mm plants are the affordable way to plant a long screen while still starting with a well branched tree. From 75L upwards you are buying presence on day one.

Some leaf bronzing or a few dropped leaves after transit is normal and not a fault. Expect roughly 20 to 40cm of growth a year once established, less in the first season. 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

• The complete guide to magnolia care in Australia
• When and how to prune a magnolia
• Compare varieties in the magnolia range
• Trees that suit driveways and avenues

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Two metres apart gives a continuous evergreen screen without the trees starving each other of light. For a driveway avenue, 4m gives each canopy room to show its shape.

How quickly will it screen a fence?

This is a slow to moderate grower, roughly 20 to 40cm a year once settled. If you need cover quickly, start from the 75L size rather than expecting a 300mm plant to catch up.

Will the roots lift paving or block pipes?

The root system is fibrous and non-invasive, unusual for a tree of this height and a main reason it is chosen for boundaries. Leave about 1.5m of clearance from hard surfaces.