Magnolia family, Magnoliaceae
Origin: endemic to Japan (the native area: southern Honshu)
Habitat in the original area: foothill and mountain forests up to the altitude of about 550 metres above sea level
Habitus: It is the most compactly growing magnolia – it is a shrub, rarely a tree growing to the height of about 2 metres. The young shoots (i. e. young, non-woody branches) are covered with dense trichomes.
Leaf: The leaves grow alternately, are short-petiolate and obovate. When young, they have fine trichomes, when old, they glabrous on the upper and lower sides, but short trichomes may appear on the veins.
Bloom, fruit: It blooms from March to April before the leaves appear. The blooms are of a white to pinkish colour, they give off a pleasant smell. They grow singly and their diameter is up to 8 centimetres. The fruits are follicles ripening in cones.
Interesting facts: It is frost-resistant, and can withstand frosts down to -30 °C.
