Family: Magnoliaceae
Scientific name: Magnolia stellata
Common name: Star magnolia
Origin: Japan

The star magnolia makes beautiful white, starshaped flowers of about 10 cm big. The flowers smell delicious and appear around april, before the leaves are formed. It is a small tree up to 2 meters high, and can start flowering from a young age. Originally, the plant grows along small rivers in the surroundings of Ise Bay at the main Island of Japan.
The star magnolia is completely winterhardy, and prefers a sunny spot in the garden.

Sowing description: Let the seeds soak in lukewarm water for 24 hours, and then sow them in sowing mix. After sowing, put the seeds away in the refridgerator during 8 weeks. Make sure the soil is kept humid, by covering the soil with plastic foil. After the cold period, let the seeds germinate at 20-25 degC

Sowing time: November-June
Difficulty: Intermediate
Minimum temperature: -15 degrees Celsius