Magnolia grandiflora 'Carolina Compact'

Magnolia grandiflora 'Carolina Compact' is a broadleaf evergreen tree with extremely dense branching habit.  Magnolia grandiflora 'Carolina Compact' was a chance seedling from my magnolia breeding program about 30 years ago.  My propagation manager, Jose Martinez, pointed out the seedling when it was about 4" tall - it didn't even look like a magnolia - more like a bay laurel.  We grew it a few years and were amazed at its dense branching habit so be propagated several and did a side by side evaluation with 'Carolina Compact' and about 90 other cultivars of Magnolia grandiflora (all planted in 3 gallons and grown with no spacing between pots)  Most of the magnolias went straight up with little to no branching.  The next best branching plant was 'Little Gem' with 3-4 branches per plant.  'Carolina Compact' had over 10 branches per plant!   We shifted the best of the magnolias into 10 gallon containers and grew them an additional year (they were all mostly 4-6' tall by then) and again without spacing the containers.  ALL varieties where unsaleable due to leggy appearance EXCEPT 'Carolina Compact', which was stunning, fully branched to the ground and excellent leaf coverage.  I've been growing Magnolia grandiflora for over 30 years, had a MASSIVE (20 acres with over 10,000 plants - mostly from controlled crosses) trial area, and, at that time, the largest collection of Magnolia grandiflora in the World.  So you can take my word that 'Carolina Compact' is the best branching magnolia that I've ever seen - not even a close 2nd.  'Carolina Compact is only produced by Taylor's Nursery, Raleigh, NC (wholesale only) as large field grown trees.  We are the only source for mail order plants of this outstanding variety.  'Carolina Compact' is excellent as a specimen an would be stunning for a large hedge.  'Carolina Compact' is bright green leaves, very unlike the normal looking southern magnolia, and is a bit shy to flower, but its one of the very best broadleaf evergreen trees you could possible grow and additionally have a fairly narrow, upright growth habit!  If you are interested in planting a large hedge and need multiple plants, please contact me before placing your order and I can work with you on a better price for the plants and the shipping costs.

• HARDINESS:  zones 7-9b
• EXPOSURE:  sun
• SIZE: 15-25'+ easily pruned to maintain smaller.
• SHIPPING SIZE:  1/2 gallon pot.  22-30" plant.