Magnolias Plant Directory

Magnolia stellata 'Waterlily'
(the Hillier clone)
Section Yulania
Epithet: star shaped.
H4
Diploid (2n=38)
(AGM 1993, removed 2012)
Shrubby to 3.5m with reddish brown bark.
10 year height/spread: 2.5m/3m
Flowers: on average 24 strap shaped petaloid tepals 5-6.5cm long by 0.9-1.4cm - white, with
pale stamens, held more or less horizontally on a densely pubescent pedicle; very pale pink when
opening; fragrant.
March/April
Foliage: obovate to oblanceolate leaves 6-12cm long, 2.5-5cm wide, apex usually rounded often
with wavy margins. Dark green and glabrous above, pale green and usually glabrous below.
Petioles yellowish 0.5-1cm long, slightly winged.
Introduced to England: 1952 by Hilliers from Kluis, Boskoop.
Distribution: forms similar to this are known in the wild: Japan: South East coast of central Honshu at
low altitude.
Recognise by: the shrubby growth habit and the white flowers with many tepals. Similar to
'Centennial' but pink in bud and smaller.
Easy to root and grow in almost any exposure.
Flowers young. Very suitable for small gardens.
Should be in every collection. A larger fuller shrubby white stellata. The American clone
'Waterlily' is different and has pink flowers.