Magnolia Coral Reef -

The Hamamelis 'Coral Reef' is a spring-flowering variety, in April and May, on bare branches at first, then accompanied by the emerging light green foliage. It develops large fragrant cup-shaped flowers, pink with a touch of salmon orange giving it that distinctive coral hue. Its large pointed leaves turn coppery bronze in autumn. It forms a small tree with a pyramidal port. Hardy, this Hamamelis requires an acidic to neutral soil, some root freshness, and a sunny to semi-shady exposure.

The Hamamelis constitute the most important genre of the rather confidential family of Hamamelidaceae, which also includes the Liriodendron (Tulip Tree) and perhaps a few other genres, as botanists do not all agree on the classification of this family of archaic plants, easily recognizable by their flowers with stamens and pistils arranged in a spiral and not in concentric circles as in more evolved plants, and whose petals and sepals are morphologically little differentiated, so they are referred to as tepals. The name Magnolia was given to it in 1703 by Charles Plumier, botanist to King Louis XIV, thus paying homage to the physician-botanist Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), who was one of the directors of the Montpellier Botanical Garden at the end of the 17th century.

The Hamamelis 'Coral Reef' forms a tree with a pyramidal port, whose crown spreads over time, reaching 5 to 6 m in height by 6 to 7 m in width at maturity. Its flowers first bloom alone, then with the young foliage, in April and May, in large upright tulips, predominantly coral pink in colour. The beautiful smooth green leaves, obovate in shape, then gradually appear. Hardy to -20°C, it prefers slightly acidic and fresh soils, not appreciating drought. Accepting full sun, this small tree can also grow in partial shade, especially in the southern half.

The Hamamelis 'Coral Reef' is an elegant small tree, of spring interest, whose large tulip-like flowers catch the eye. It is very suitable for small gardens due to its modest dimensions. Plant this tree in isolation to make it a focal point in the garden. It can also be associated with a massif of large shrubs of summer or winter interest such as Japanese Maples, Flowering Dogwoods, Hamamelis. It also pairs well with heathland plants like Rhododendrons, Camellias, Pieris... As its root system is not a threat to foundations, it can be safely planted against a house wall.

Magnolias are ancient trees with fossils dating back over 20 million years. Their magnificent flowering is considered one of the most primitive: their flowers are, from an evolutionary point of view, close to the earliest existing flowers. The bark of magnolias has medicinal properties and is used in cosmetics, while their wood is considered valuable.