Sweet N Neat Magnolia

Sweet N Neat Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Sweet N Neat') is the compact end of the evergreen magnolias, finishing at about 3.5m tall and only 2m wide. That makes it the one to choose where Little Gem is too big: a narrow side boundary, a courtyard, or a screen that must stay under the eaves. Large white and cream flowers open through the warmer months with the heavy magnolia scent, and the leaves are backed in bronze felt.

Why you'll love it

• Narrow enough for a side boundary. At 2m wide it screens without taking the whole bed, the usual problem with an evergreen magnolia.
• Fragrance you can smell from the house. Big cream flowers through the warm months, scented enough to carry across a courtyard.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. Fibrous and non invasive, so it can go near paving, driveways and services.
• Evergreen cover all year. Bronze backed leaves hold through winter, so the screen works in July as well as January.
• Tough once it is away. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind and salt tolerant, covering most Australian gardens.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1.5m apart for a narrow evergreen screen. Any tighter and the lower branches shade each other out, leaving gaps at the base.

Driveways and avenues. Space at 2.5m for a row of individual trees with clear trunks. The non invasive roots are why this works close to the edge.

Pots and small gardens. A pot 500mm or wider suits one plant and holds it near 2.5m. Be honest about the watering, because potted magnolias dry out quickly in summer.

Growing Sweet N Neat Magnolia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and densest growth, part shade a looser plant. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. Being frost hardy it handles cold southern winters, though young plants want shelter for their first two. The wet tropics are the exception, where humidity brings on leaf spotting.

Soil. Well drained, slightly acidic soil with compost through the backfill. It will not tolerate waterlogging, so raise the bed on heavy clay and keep 75mm of mulch clear of the trunk.

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

Pruning. Very little is needed, which is the point of a compact variety. Tip prune after flowering to thicken a screen, and remove low branches only if you want a clear trunk.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in eight sizes, from 200mm pots in packs of six up to advanced 180L specimens, with 250mm packs, 300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 75L and 100L in between. The 500mm, 75L and 180L lines are on backorder and dispatch with the next crop. Small pots are the value choice for a long screen and take three to four years to close. From 75L up you are buying presence on day one.

Some leaf bronzing or a few dropped leaves after transit is normal. Expect roughly 30 to 40cm of growth a year once established. Delivered Australia wide, 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 guide to magnolia care in Australia.
• Compare varieties in the magnolia collection.
• Small magnolia varieties for tight spaces.
• Browse tall and narrow screening plants.

Common questions

How is it different from Little Gem?

Size, mostly. Sweet N Neat finishes around 3.5m by 2m, where Little Gem reaches about 5m. Choose this one for a courtyard, a low roofline or a pot.

How far apart for a screen?

One and a half metres apart in a single row. The canopies knit into a continuous wall at that spacing while each tree fills out from the base.

Will the roots lift paving?

The root system is fibrous and non invasive, unusual in an evergreen tree of this height. Leave about 1.5m of clearance from hard surfaces as good practice.