Magnolia 'Riveting Rosie'

This hybrid magnolia is a big surprise in spring when the flowers show up with the leaves on the tree, when we all think the phase of voluptuous, rich pink, saucer-like magnolia blossoms is a sweet memory. The leaves being on the tree in no way take away from the gorgeous display. Just look at those pictures! What's comforting about this late-season flowering is that we can rest-assured enjoyment of the flowers for their duration, i.e., these flowers miss all chance of the devastating freezes that render other saucer magnolias molten, brown, and utterly destroyed. With this hybrid, the heartbreak is spared us. When you see RR in flower for the first time in your own garden, you will summon your friends to come see. The flowers are a call to host a party in celebration. Hybrid you say? Yes, the parents are Magnolia sieboldii 'Colossus' x Magnolia insignis. Magnolia sieboldii is deciduous, while Magnolia insignis (sometimes listed as Manglietia insignis) is evergreen. In our Cutting Edge climate of zone 8a, Riveting Rosie behaves as a semi-evergreen. Now for a word about the tree's hardiness. It's proven to be heat and humidity durable. Yes indeed! It's vigorous and healthy in zone 8a of Athens, Georgia and surmised to be durable farther south. Due to the parentage, we recommend staying a safe zone 7a and warmer. Grown on its own roots; not grafted.