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Little Gem Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'
$18,700.95 $30,570.95

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Potted plants

Typically 20cm to 1.2m tall on arrival.

Advanced plants

Typically 1.2 to 2.5m tall on arrival.

Specimen and mature stock

Typically 2.5m plus. Freight confirmed before dispatch.

Other sizes (available to order)

This size is on backorder. Want it the moment it lands back from the farms?

Good to know: pot sizes, availability and delivery
  • Sizes are pot sizes, not plant heights. A 200mm pot is the width of the container. Typical plant heights per size are in the size guide.
  • Every order is availability checked. If anything cannot be supplied as listed, we contact you within 2 business days with the closest equivalent, the option to wait, or a refund. You choose.
  • Delivered Australia wide. Live plants packed for transit, no minimum order. Details on the delivery page.
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Will Little Gem Magnolia work for you?

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Email only, no phone calls. Your question and the plant you are looking at go to our plant team at sales@nurserynearme.com.au.

Delivery
  • Fast, reliable delivery Australia-wide
  • Orders are prepared at the nearest distribution centre to you
  • Flat-rate delivery from $29.95 for standard items
  • Larger plants and trees are delivered via nursery truck from $149.95

FAQs

Can I pick up my order?

No. We operate as an online-only nursery and do not offer customer pickups.

Can I delay delivery?

Yes. Add your preferred delivery timing in the order notes at checkout.

What if I’m not home for delivery?

Your order will be left in a safe location at the delivery address.

What if my plants don’t arrive healthy?

Every order is covered by our 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee.

Little Gem Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem') is the evergreen screen for gardens with height to spare but no width. It reaches about 5m tall and only 2.5m across, so it fits a narrow side boundary or a large courtyard pot. White flowers open through the warmer months with a lemon and vanilla scent, and the roots are well behaved enough to plant near paving.

Why you'll love it

  • Tall and narrow by nature. At roughly 5m by 2.5m it screens an upstairs window without swallowing the garden bed.
  • Evergreen cover all year. Unlike the deciduous magnolias it holds its leaves, so the screen works in July as well as January.
  • Fragrant flowers. Creamy white blooms 10 to 15cm across, from late spring into autumn, scented strongly enough to carry across a courtyard.
  • Roots that stay out of trouble. Fibrous and non-invasive, so it can sit near paths, driveways and pipes.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1.5m apart for a dense screen. At that spacing the canopies knit into a continuous wall while each tree fills out from the base. For a driveway avenue, stretch it to 2.5m.

Pots and courtyards. A pot 500mm or wider suits it, and container growing holds it to around 2.5 to 3m. Be honest about the watering, because potted magnolias dry out fast in summer.

Growing Little Gem Magnolia in Australia

Position and soil. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the densest growth, though it copes with part shade. Give it well drained, slightly acidic soil with compost through the backfill. It will not tolerate waterlogging, so raise the bed on heavy clay.

Water and feeding. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as the roots go down. It is genuinely drought tolerant after two seasons. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer, and keep 75mm of mulch clear of the trunk.

Climate. At home in subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and salt tolerant enough for coastal blocks. In cooler southern areas it handles frost once established, though protect young plants through their first two winters. It is not the pick for the wet tropics, where constant humidity encourages leaf spotting.

Pruning. Very little is needed. Tip prune after flowering to thicken the screen, and remove the lowest branches only for a clear trunk.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow this magnolia from tubestock through to advanced 400L specimens. Tubes and 200mm pots arrive as single stemmed young plants, often under knee height, and take three to four years to screen. From 45L upwards you are buying a tree with real presence.

Some leaf bronzing or a few dropped leaves after transit is normal, not a fault. 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

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Space plants 1.5m apart. Any closer and the lower branches shade each other out, leaving gaps near the ground. For a row of individual trees, 2.5 to 3m gives each one room to show its shape.

Can I grow Little Gem Magnolia in a pot long term?

Yes, it is one of the better magnolias for containers. Use a pot at least 500mm wide with good drainage, root prune every three to four years, and expect it to settle at 2.5 to 3m rather than 5m.

Will the roots damage paving or pipes?

The root system is fibrous and non-invasive, unusual for a tree of this height, so it is one of the safer choices near paths and services. Leave about 1.5m of clearance from hard surfaces as good practice.

Plant details

Mature height5m
Mature width2.5m
PositionPartial Shade, Full Sun
Water needsModerate
Growth rateModerate
FoliageEvergreen
FlowersWhite
Native toNorth America, Cultivar or Hybrid
ClimateSubtropical, Warm Temperate, Cool Temperate, Mediterranean
ToleratesFrost Hardy, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Coastal & Salt Tolerant
SpacingPlant 1.5m apart for a dense screen

Great for

Screening & PrivacyHedgingFeature PlantingPots & ContainersDriveways & AvenuesFragrantNon-Invasive RootsTall & NarrowPet FriendlyLow Maintenance

Compare similar plants

Little Gem Magnolia against the rest of the magnolias range

Mature sizes are typical in Australian gardens; growth rate and position are from the plant details on each page.

PlantRatingMature heightMature widthGrowth ratePositionFrom
Little Gem Magnolia
Little Gem MagnoliaThis plantMagnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'
 ★★★★★(21) 5m 2.5m Moderate Partial Shade, Full Sun $45.95
Teddy Bear Magnolia
Teddy Bear MagnoliaMagnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear'
 ★★★★★(33) 4m 2.5m Moderate Partial Shade, Full Sun $478.95
Port Wine Magnolia
Port Wine MagnoliaMichelia figo
 ★★★★★(10) 3m 2.5m Moderate Partial Shade, Full Sun $14.95
Cleopatra Magnolia
Cleopatra MagnoliaMagnolia 'Cleopatra'
 ★★★★★(6) 4m 2.5m Moderate, Fast Full Sun, Partial Shade $198.95
Saucer Magnolia
Saucer MagnoliaMagnolia soulangeana
 ★★★★★(8) 5m 4m Moderate Full Sun, Partial Shade $225.95
Coco Magnolia
Coco MagnoliaMichelia 'Coco'
 ★★★★☆(5) 2.5m 2m Moderate Partial Shade $15.95

See the whole magnolias range

Common questions about Little Gem Magnolia

  • How tall does Little Gem Magnolia grow?

    Little Gem Magnolia reaches about 5m tall at maturity and about 2.5m wide.

  • Does Little Gem Magnolia need full sun or shade?

    it grows best in partial shade, full sun.

  • How much water does Little Gem Magnolia need?

    water needs are moderate.

  • How fast does Little Gem Magnolia grow?

    it has a moderate growth rate.

  • Which Australian climates suit Little Gem Magnolia?

    it suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, mediterranean climates and tolerates frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant, coastal & salt tolerant. Check the planting calendar for the best month in your region. Planting calendar

  • How far apart should I plant Little Gem Magnolia?

    Plant Plant 1.5m apart for a dense screen. The hedge calculator works out the number of plants for your length. Hedge calculator

  • Is Little Gem Magnolia safe around pets?

    Yes, Little Gem Magnolia is listed as pet friendly.

  • What size will my Little Gem Magnolia arrive at?

    Typically 20cm to 2.5m or more tall on arrival, depending on the size you choose. The size picker on this page shows the typical height under each size group. Heights vary with the season and the batch. Size guide

  • How is Little Gem Magnolia delivered?

    Packed upright and delivered Australia wide. Freight is quoted at checkout with multiple freight companies and passed on at cost, and the grower confirms your plants before anything is booked. Most plant orders arrive within 3 to 7 business days of dispatch.

  • Is Little Gem Magnolia covered by a guarantee?

    Yes. Every plant is covered by the 30 day healthy plant guarantee: if it arrives in poor shape, send a photo within 30 days and we sort it out with a replacement or a refund. Read the guarantee

Loved by Australian Gardeners

★★★★★ Rated by verified customers across Australia

Customer Reviews

Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 21 reviews.

Customer photo review of Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

I ordered two of the 100L Little gems as a feature to plant on either side of my front gate. The trees that arrived were so much bigger than I expected. I will need help planting this. Still very happy with my order though, just surprised is all

Meredith G. 5/5

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

Thanks delivered as scheduled

Kevin C. 4/5 Verified

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

Store owner replied: Thanks Kevin, good to hear it arrived as scheduled. Little Gem is a compact magnolia, perfect where you want those big white flowers without a huge tree.

We ordered little gem magnolias and lilly pillys - big ones! Plants are fabulous, healthy and vigorous and the person who delivered then incredibly helpful. We are so happy with Brisbane plants!

Suzanne C. 5/5 Verified

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

Thank you for such lovely trees, Can't wait til they get growing BIG. My experience overall was very good. Had a hiccup that was addressed swiftly. Staff is very helpful, clear and concise.

Michelle W. 5/5

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

After you order

What happens next

  1. 1Order confirmedYour confirmation email arrives straight away.
  2. 2Grower confirms stockWe check your plants are ready at the nursery before anything is booked.
  3. 3Freight bookedYou get the carrier and the delivery window by email.
  4. 4Delivered to your doorPacked upright and delivered Australia wide.

30 day healthy plant guarantee on every plant, every size.

BeforeThe same garden at two to three years, designed from the customer photo
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BeforeAt 2 to 3 years

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The Little Gem Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'), a compact evergreen with white blooms, adorns the garden in front of a porch surrounded by lush greenery.

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

From $247.95 $443.95

Mature height

4m to 8m

Mature width

2m to 4m

Position

Partial Shade, Full Sun

Water needs

Moderate

Growth rate

Moderate

Foliage

Evergreen

Flower colour

White

Climate

Subtropical, Warm Temperate, Cool Temperate, Mediterranean

Tolerates

Frost Hardy, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Coastal & Salt Tolerant

Great for

Screening & Privacy, Hedging, Feature Planting, Pots & Containers, Driveways & Avenues

Spacing

Plant 1.5m apart for a dense screen

Pet friendly

Yes
View product