The Saucer Magnolia

The Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana), also known as Chinese Magnolia or Pink Magnolia, is a hybrid species obtained from a cross between M. denudata and M. liliiflora. Its scientific name refers to the French nobleman, Etienne Soulange-Bodin, who cultivated and described the species in 1826. It is a small early-blooming tree which can reach up to 6m tall. Its big flowers come out before the leaves and continue developing when the leaves appear. The flowers are purple on the outside and whitish inside with pink layers turning more intense towards the base. There are very few of these trees in the Alhambra and they are normally grown in half-shade as intense sunlight can damage the flowers. There are numerous cultivars on the market, which are distinguished by the slight differences in the flowers and indeed in the leaves.