Magnolia campbellii subsp. mollicomata
Distinguishing Features
The flowers are pink to rose-purple (up to 25 cm long) and are borne on thickly felted stalks before the leaves. Mollicomata is Latin for softly hairy, a feature of the underside of the leaves.
Season of Interest
The subspecies mollicomata flowers in the spring, usually later than the species, often escaping the worst frosts. The leaves are shed in autumn and the plant is quite hardy.
Magnolia campbellii subsp. mollicomata has a natural range in the mountainous Yunnan province of south west China bordering Myanmar and India. It was introduced into the UK in 1924 at Caerhays in Cornwall by plant collector George Forrest for the owner J C Williams.