Daybreak Magnolia

If you could choose only one Magnolia to have in your garden, the breathtaking Daybreak Magnolia would have to be a prime contender for the spot. This captivating ornamental tree will deliver the 'Wow Factor' to your landscape and stop people in their tracks. In mid-to-late spring, after the earliest Magnolias have finished blooming and when a frost is no longer likely, its huge (8 to 10 inch!) blossoms will burst from fat and fuzzy Pussy-Willow-like buds. The spectacular blooms are rose-pink on the outside and lighter pink within, and they smell divine. Bookmark this page—you’ll be coming back to it if you’re searching for the tree that will reward you with the biggest bang for your buck!

Dr. August “Augie” Kehr was a respected and hard-working American botanist who had a special fondness for Magnolias. He liked to hybridize the different species and see what interesting and unique offspring would result. He gave 31 new Magnolias to the world this way, and of all of these novel collaborations between Tree and Man, he believed Daybreak Magnolia was his greatest accomplishment. To produce his famous tree, he started with a hybrid Magnolia called ‘Woodsman’, which has blossoms painted in an intriguing mix of pale pink, yellow, and green. With it he crossed another hybrid, a rather obscure Magnolia with large white flowers called ‘Tina Durio’. When the new tree flowered, Dr. Kehr knew he had a winner. He introduced Daybreak to the public in the 1980s.

Be sure to plant your Daybreak Magnolia in a location for all to see! This unusual columnar form of Magnolia should be planted in high traffic areas - along walkways or on either side of your front door - where you can enjoy the fragrance of the large, rosy-pink blooms!