ODG Summer 2026 (2) - Flipbook - Page 21
Say Yes to Yellow Magnolias
Donna Cottingham, Salisbury GC (P)
t
the right location, a magnolia
can provide a beautiful focal point in your
landscape. Ornamental saucer magnolias
offer a stunning show of pink blossoms in
spring. Fragrant white grandiflora
blossoms are beautiful in the summer. But
a magnolia you won9t often see is a yellow
magnolia, and we owe our thanks to many
women for the ones we are fortunate
enough to see today.
Plan ed in
A yellow magnolia at Brent and Becky’s Garden in Gloucester.
r
r seven native magnolia species found in Virginia but the elusive native yellow
magnolia deserves special attention. Sadly, the beautiful creamy yellow Magnolia fraseri
grows in limited areas in the far western counties in Virginia, including Wise, Tazewell and
Washington.
The e a e
w magnolias have fascinated botanists for many years. Thanks to numerous women
hybridizers at Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York, we have many beautiful yellow
cultivars today. Dr. Lola Koerting, a geneticist there early on, became well-known for many
reasons, among them, the 8Yellow Bird9 magnolia in 1975. The famous 8Elizabeth,9 magnolia
was introduced in 1977 by Evamaria Sperber, the 8Hattie Carthan9 in 1989 and the 8Lois9
magnolia introduced by Lois Carswell in 1998. Today these may be seen blooming among
30 species of hybrids and cultivars at the aptly named Magnolia Plaza at the Brooklyn
Botanic Garden. Compare the successes of these women to Dr. August Kehr, a pioneering
plant geneticist and hybridizer who created 31 magnolias during his lifetime, but did not
succeed in producing a true yellow.
Yello
wis Ginter Botanical Garden has three magnificent yellow magnolia trees
that bloom each spring along the entrance to the upper parking lot. Unfortunately, no one
there knows their identity. In Gloucester, a gorgeous yellow magnolia blooms at Brent and
Becky 9s Bulbs during the annual Daffodil Festival.
In Richmond, Le
Photo by Donna Cottingham
21.
ODG Summer 2026
