Colour inside and out
Tepals stay saturated on both surfaces, retaining purple as the cup opens.
2
Magnolia 'Cleopatra'® 23cm
Normal price
€40,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
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 × soulangeana ‘Cleopatra’ PBR
- Regal purple
- Large cup
- Compact crown
- New Zealand
Magnolia × soulangeana ‘Cleopatra’ PBR combines regal colour with disciplined form: large purple-crimson flowers open as deep cups on an upright broad-columnar crown. The inner tepal surface remains richly coloured, so the flower does not visually fade as soon as it opens. Light fragrance and substantial texture complete the sense of luxury. The effect stays powerful even at a distance. Flowers appear at different heights along the branches, drawing the eye through the whole silhouette rather than towards a single flowering tip.
It is an excellent choice when you want a spectacular magnolia without a shapeless, excessively broad tree. Its vertical development frames an entrance, marks a garden corner or rises behind lower planting, while the colour remains the undisputed centre of spring.
What makes it distinctive
‘Cleopatra’ is distinguished by colour inside and out and two further characters specific to this exact selection.
Broad column
A strong leader and ascending lateral branches keep the crown tall and organised.
Precocious maturity
The selection was distinguished by its ability to flower young rather than waiting to become a large tree.
Why you will love it: it delivers a mature, polished aesthetic from a young age and retains colour even when the flower opens fully.
In the garden & on the balconyPlacement & plant pairingsExact position, mature scale and three botanically compatible companions.
Best position
Use a bright sheltered position where the broad-columnar crown can be read in full, ideally near an entrance or as the vertical conclusion to a deep border.
Compatible planting
Pair with Amelanchier lamarckii, Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb’ and Tulipa ‘Queen of Night’ to repeat purple at different scales and times.
- Amelanchier lamarckii — acts as a structural backdrop or vertical counterpoint with a compatible scale and growth rhythm.
- Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb’ — acts as a structural backdrop or vertical counterpoint with a compatible scale and growth rhythm.
- Tulipa ‘Queen of Night’ — 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
Prune only when necessary, just after flowering: remove dead, crossing or weak branches. Large cuts heal slowly and distort the natural habit.
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
A young ‘Cleopatra’ quickly extends a leader and ascending side shoots. The base broadens with age, but primary branch angles remain narrow enough to preserve the characteristic broad-columnar outline.
Mature expression
At maturity it forms a sturdy broad-columnar crown 4–8 m high and 2.5–4 m wide without losing its upright character.
Mature habit & dimensions
Long-term maturityHeight 4–8 mSpread 2.5–4 mupright, broad-columnar
Tree-like branching with distinct limbs and cup-shaped flowers at their tips.
Form through time
Seasonal cycleDeciduousTree habitFlowers before or with the leaves
Purple spring flowers
Upright flowers with free tepals open at branch tips.
Summer branching
Leaves fill out the branches of the upright crown.
The two views follow the same natural growth cycle.
History & originCultivar originThe story behind its distinctive character.
‘Cleopatra’ originated from a cross made by Vance Hooper in 1998 at Waitara, New Zealand. ‘Sweet Simplicity’ was the seed parent and Black Tulip® the pollen parent. In 2003, one offspring stood out for its deep purple flowers and broadly columnar outline, bringing strong colour together with an upright presence.
Propagation by budding began the following year to retain the selection’s characteristics. ‘Cameo’ had arisen from the same parents in an earlier cross, but the two magnolias followed different visual paths. In ‘Cleopatra’, rich purple continues inside the flower, carrying its characteristic colour from the closed bud through to the open cup.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forMechanisms, anatomy, physiology and taxonomic boundaries behind the plant's behaviour.
A cup of separate organs
The nine to twelve tepals of ‘Cleopatra’ remain separate rather than joining into a continuous tube. The cup is formed by the way they curve and overlap around the reproductive axis. Both main surfaces are purple, so the flower retains its rich colour as it opens and reveals more of its interior.
The same parents, different offspring
Two magnolias produced from the same parents are not genetic copies. The formation of reproductive cells and subsequent fertilisation create new combinations of inherited characteristics in each seed. Sister selections can therefore differ in tepal colour, vigour or crown outline. A selected cultivar is then maintained through vegetative propagation of that particular plant.
Frequently asked questions
Six precise answers for ‘Cleopatra’, from its present scale to mature behaviour.
01What does the present size of ‘Cleopatra’ mean?
The listed approx. 70 cm is its height on arrival. Long-term placement must allow for a mature scale of 4–8 m by 2.5–4 m rather than today's young outline.
02Where will ‘Cleopatra’ perform best?
Use a bright sheltered position where the broad-columnar crown can be read in full, ideally near an entrance or as the vertical conclusion to a deep border.
03How do I know when ‘Cleopatra’ needs water?
Water deeply during establishment and prolonged summer drought. Roots appreciate even moisture but not heavy, permanently saturated ground.
04When should I prune ‘Cleopatra’?
Prune only when necessary, just after flowering: remove dead, crossing or weak branches. Large cuts heal slowly and distort the natural habit.
05Is it the same as Black Tulip®?
No. Black Tulip® is the pollen parent. ‘Cleopatra’ has its own identity, a brighter purple tone and broad-columnar development.
06When will a young plant begin flowering?
The cultivar is precocious in reproductive maturity, although exact timing depends on graft age, light and establishment.
📦 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.