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Japanese Big Leaf Magnolia

Magnolia obovata

Also called Japanese Whitebark Magnolia, Whiteleaf Japanese Magnolia

Japanese Big Leaf Magnolia
Photo: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 3.0

A medium-sized deciduous tree from Japan and the Kurile Islands, grown for its very large leaves and fragrant early-summer flowers. It is usually grown as a garden or park tree rather than a houseplant.

Family
Magnoliaceae (Magnolia family)
Grows as
Tree
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water regularly while young and in dry spells, then allow the top of the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
Soil
Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil rich in organic matter.
Temperature
Hardy to around -20 °C; protect young trees from late frosts and hot, dry wind.
How easy
Moderate
Native range
S. Kuril Is. to Japan
Climate
temperate

About

Magnolia obovata, the Japanese cucumber tree, Japanese bigleaf magnolia, or Japanese whitebark magnolia, is a species of Magnolia, native to Japan and the adjacent Kurile Islands. It grows from near sea level up to 1,800 m elevation in mixed broadleaf forests.

Uses

The wood is strong, light, and easy to work, sought by craftsmen. In parts of Japan, the large leaves are used for wrapping food, and also as a makeshift dish to grill meat or vegetables, such as leeks, mushrooms, and miso in hoba miso.

Other Magnolia plants

Cucumber Magnolia · Magnolia amazonica · Tianmu Magnolia · Magnolia aromatica · Ashe's Magnolia · Magnolia biondii · Magnolia sumatrana var. glauca · Magnolia boliviana · Magnolia calimaensis · Magnolia calophylla · Campbell's Magnolia · Magnolia cararensis

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Magnolia obovata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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