Flowers high in the crown
Ascending limbs display deep pink above eye level like a large flowering column.
Magnolia 'Galaxy'® 23cm
Normal price
€55,00
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 ‘Galaxy’
- Deep pink
- Tall conical crown
- Later spring
- RHS Recommended AGM
Magnolia ‘Galaxy’ is a magnolia of genuine scale, with a tall conical crown and masses of deep rose-purple flowers opening like large stars. It flowers slightly later than many early magnolias, when the chance of severe frost has already declined. Ascending branches lift the colour high, creating a spectacular spring column. The display gains authority as the tree matures.
In a large garden it becomes a landmark tree rather than merely a seasonal shrub. Its clean conical line suits a long view, drive entrance or lawn edge where the mature silhouette can develop without disappearing behind buildings.
RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), first awarded in 1993.
What makes it distinctive
‘Galaxy’ is distinguished by flowers high in the crown and two further characters specific to this exact selection.
Star-like opening
Upright buds relax into broader tepals radiating around the floral axis.
Large tree
A mature scale of 8–12 m supplies real shade, winter framework and presence measured in decades.
Why you will love it: it does not end with flowering; it matures into a tall architectural tree with year-round dignity.
In the garden & on the balconyPlacement & plant pairingsExact position, mature scale and three botanically compatible companions.
Best position
Use a large, deep, open part of the garden away from overhead cables and narrow passages, where the conical crown can reach full height and be seen from a distance.
Compatible planting
Combine with Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’, Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum and Camassia leichtlinii for layered spring columns in a broad landscape.
- Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’ — acts as a structural backdrop or vertical counterpoint with a compatible scale and growth rhythm.
- Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum — extends the composition with a different flowering season and compatible light, position and soil moisture.
- Camassia leichtlinii — 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
Young ‘Galaxy’ is strongly ascending and makes long annual extensions. Later the lower limbs lengthen, the crown base broadens and flowering spurs multiply across the powerful conical framework.
Mature expression
At maturity it develops into a tall broadly pyramidal tree 8–12 m high and 4–8 m wide, so its position must allow for the entire final crown.
Mature habit & dimensions
in the groundHeight 8–12 mSpread 4–8 mTall, pyramidal crown
A strong central leader continues to the top, with longer lower limbs and shorter upper branches. Rose-purple flowers open across this tree framework, creating a tall focal point in the garden.
Form through time
Deciduous treeAscending branchesRose-purple tepals
Spring floweringLarge flowers open from cup-shaped buds, their broad tepals spreading as they mature.
Summer crownAbundant foliage covers the small lateral shoots and builds a full pyramidal crown.
The tree naturally sheds its leaves in autumn. In winter, the trunk, ascending limbs and buds for the next flowering season become visible.
History & originCultivar originA U.S. National Arboretum introduction from William Kosar's historic ‘Nigra’ × ‘Diva’ cross.
‘Galaxy’ originated in the magnolia improvement programme at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. In 1963 William Kosar crossed the shrubby purple Magnolia liliiflora ‘Nigra’ with the taller early-flowering Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’, combining strong colour with a more powerful tree framework.
One seedling was selected and later named ‘Galaxy’ for its many star-like flowers and ascending narrowly conical crown. The Arboretum officially released it in 1980 as part of a group of hybrids intended to flower a little later and escape some damage from spring frost.
The cultivar became established internationally as a large ornamental tree and received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993, now the RHS Recommended: Award of Garden Merit. The distinction confirmed that the 1963 experiment was not merely genetically interesting but produced a dependable tree with genuine garden longevity.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forMechanisms, anatomy, physiology and taxonomic boundaries behind the plant's behaviour.
Hybrid complementarity
M. liliiflora contributes anthocyanin colour and a more compact tendency, while M. sprengeri contributes height and tree vigour. ‘Galaxy’ expresses qualities from both rather than a simple average.
Phenological frost escape
Slightly later flower-bud opening is a phenological trait. It does not make an open flower more frost hardy, but reduces the probability of meeting a freezing event.
Frequently asked questions
Six precise answers for ‘Galaxy’, from its present scale to mature behaviour.
01What does the present size of ‘Galaxy’ mean?
The listed 80–100 cm is its height on arrival. Long-term placement must allow for a mature scale of 8–12 m by 4–8 m rather than today's young outline.
02Where will ‘Galaxy’ perform best?
Use a large, deep, open part of the garden away from overhead cables and narrow passages, where the conical crown can reach full height and be seen from a distance.
03How do I know when ‘Galaxy’ needs water?
Water deeply during establishment and prolonged summer drought. Roots appreciate even moisture but not heavy, permanently saturated ground.
04When should I prune ‘Galaxy’?
Prune only when necessary, just after flowering: remove dead, crossing or weak branches. Large cuts heal slowly and distort the natural habit.
05Is it suitable for a small garden?
Not as a long-term choice. Today's narrow young plant will become an 8–12 m tree and needs corresponding root and crown space.
06Why does it flower later than another magnolia?
The timing is genetic and often helps it miss the earliest frosts without moving the display outside the broader spring season.
📦 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.