Dark buds
Deep purple outer tepals give the closed flowers their distinctive dark appearance.
Magnolia 'Black Beauty'® 19cm
Normal price
€30,00
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Magnolia × brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’
- Purple outside
- White inside
- Brooklyn hybrid
- Tree-like crown
Magnolia × brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ opens deep purple buds into flowers with dark exteriors and bright creamy-white interiors. The contrast emerges gradually as the upright flower cups open along the woody branches. From a distance, the rich purple colour stands out; close up, the pale heart of each bloom draws you in. The sculptural framework gives the planting depth and turns spring flowering into a display worth returning to again and again.
A pale background brings out the purple exterior of the blooms, while low white flowers echo their light interiors. Give the magnolia space around its crown and keep the planting beneath it quiet. The upright flowers become a spring focal point, followed by the green foliage later in the season.
What makes it distinctive
The contrast between exterior and interior changes as the upright cup-shaped flowers open.
A pale interior
As the upright flower cup opens, its creamy-white interior appears beside the purple exterior.
A tree-like presence
The woody framework rises and its crown broadens, creating a lasting spring focal point in the garden.
Why you will love it: it combines botanic-garden history with one of spring's boldest bicolour contrasts.
In the garden & on the balconyPlacement & plant pairingsExact position, mature scale and three botanically compatible companions.
Best position
In an open part of the garden against a calm, pale backdrop, with generous room around the crown. Avoid frost pockets and narrow positions close to other shrubs.
Compatible planting
Pair with Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, Fothergilla gardenii and Galanthus nivalis to repeat dark, white and early-spring elements across three layers.
- Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ — adds linear texture and movement without hiding the plant’s characteristic mature outline.
- Fothergilla gardenii — extends the composition with a different flowering season and compatible light, position and soil moisture.
- Galanthus nivalis — adds low seasonal flowers before or between the plant’s main periods of interest.
Care at a glance
Light
Sun to bright partial shade, sheltered from drying easterly wind. Morning light and a calm microclimate help the flowers open cleanly.
Water
Water deeply during establishment and prolonged summer drought. Roots appreciate even moisture but not heavy, permanently saturated ground.
Climate & hardiness
Woody growth is hardy, although open flowers may be damaged by late frost. A site away from frost pockets protects the display.
Safety
An ornamental tree, not a food product. Do not use bark, flowers or leaves for consumption without specialist botanical identification.
Detailed careComplete care guideSoil, feeding, pruning and winter management.
Light
Sun to bright partial shade, sheltered from drying easterly wind. Morning light and a calm microclimate help the flowers open cleanly.
Water
Water deeply during establishment and prolonged summer drought. Roots appreciate even moisture but not heavy, permanently saturated ground.
Soil & drainage
Provide deep, fertile, organic, freely drained soil, preferably slightly acid to neutral. Avoid compaction and digging over the fleshy surface roots.
Feeding
Apply compost around the crown and a restrained feed in early spring. Excess nitrogen favours extension at the expense of wood ripening and flower buds.
Pruning
Pruning is rarely needed. If live branches need correction, make a few small cuts between mid-summer and early autumn, back to a natural fork. Avoid severe reduction and cuts in late winter or early spring.
Winter
Leaf fall is normal. Keep roots buffered with organic mulch and protect only young potted plants from prolonged deep freezing.
Development over timeFrom young plant to mature presenceEstablishment, specific architecture and the plant's real mature garden volume.
Initial establishment
In its first years the magnolia invests more in roots and a few sound axes than in rapid bulk. An undisturbed root zone and deep watering during drought build its framework securely.
Building its form
The main branches rise and develop lateral growth. With age, the crown broadens and gains more short tips carrying flower buds, while retaining a clear tree-like framework.
Mature expression
At ten years it can reach 5–8 m tall, with a broad crown. Give it open garden space so the woody framework develops naturally and the upright blooms remain visible around its outline.
Mature habit & dimensions
At ten yearsHeight 5–8 mBroad crownupright, with a broadening crown
A branching tree with upright cup-shaped flowers and young spring leaves.
Form through time
Seasonal cycleDeciduousTree habitFlowers before or with the leaves
Spring flowering
Upright cup-shaped flowers have purple exteriors and pale interiors.
Summer leafy crown
After flowering, larger green leaves fill out the branches.
The seasonal views show natural changes in growth and flowering.
History & originCultivar originBrooklyn Botanic Garden · selection #204 · marketed in 2001
‘Black Beauty’ originated in Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s magnolia breeding programme, which ran from 1953 to 1991 at the Kitchawan Research Center in Ossining, New York. This selection, numbered #204, combined the North American Magnolia acuminata with the Asian M. liliiflora.
The name ‘Black Beauty’ appeared in the spring 2001 catalogue of Fairweather Gardens Nursery in New Jersey. Research selection #204 thereby acquired the name under which its deep purple flowers and white interiors became known. BBG’s historical account in 2017 still described the name as unofficial and unregistered.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forMechanisms, anatomy, physiology and taxonomic boundaries behind the plant's behaviour.
Tepals rather than a distinct calyx
A magnolia’s showy outer floral parts are called tepals because they are not clearly divided into a green calyx and a coloured corolla. In ‘Black Beauty’, the purple outer surface and pale interior become visible together as the upright floral cup opens.
Many organs on an elongated axis
Numerous stamens and separate carpels occupy an elongated receptacle at the flower’s centre. This differs from flowers with a single ovary formed by fused carpels.
Frequently asked questions
Six precise answers for ‘Black Beauty’, from its present scale to mature behaviour.
01Are Black Beauty’s flowers actually black?
The outside is very deep purple and can appear almost black, especially in a closed bud. As the flower opens, its bright cream-white interior is revealed.
02Does it flower all summer?
Its main display is in spring. Interest then passes to the green foliage and the shape of the crown.
03Does it remain green in winter?
No. It is a deciduous magnolia, losing its leaves while retaining the woody framework and buds until the following spring.
04Where are the flowers best protected?
Choose a sheltered position away from low frost pockets. Even when the wood tolerates cold, open flowers can be damaged.
05Does it need annual shaping?
No. Retain its natural crown and remove dead or damaged branches. For small corrections to live wood, choose mid-summer to early autumn and cut back to a natural fork.
06Can I cultivate deeply around the trunk?
Avoid doing so, as fleshy roots also grow close to the surface. Apply organic mulch clear of the trunk and water deeply when necessary.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.