Variegated Cucumber Magnolia
Magnolia acuminata ‘Ellen’
There are flashy plants, and then there is Magnolia ‘Ellen.’ This ultimate showstopper has huge tropical looking leaves sometimes up to 10 inches long all generously splashed with creamy white variegation. Like your favorite kitty sprawled across your laptop, this tree demands attention. And like all cucumber magnolias, it’s easy to grow in light shade and full sun. Yellowish white flowers appear in spring and are somewhat inconspicuous on older trees but lovely, nonetheless. This is a fairly rare plant, so much so that we don’t know its ultimate size. It has proven to be vigorous, so we think at least 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide would be a reasonable expectation.
Conditions: Full sun to part shade; well-drained moist and average soil
Size: Ultimate size unknown to us; perhaps 30′ tall and 20′ wide
Zone: 3 – 8
Wildlife Value: Pollinated primarily by sap beetles. Birds such as grackles eat the seeds, while mammals sometimes browse on the stems and leaves.
