Plant of the Month, March 2024
Magnolia 'Big Dude'.
March (as with most months) proved difficult to choose just one "Plant of the Month". But I have gone with..... Magnolia 'Big Dude'. Planted in 2015 it has taken several years to begin flowering, with a few in 2023, but this year is just exceptional! Several large baby pink flowers adorn this young tree. Additionally it had a visitor in the shape of a Stenichneumon culpator (Google research only comes up with Ichneumon wasp which is not a huge help!)
Once we head into autumn it becomes obvious why this plant is called "Big Dude" - the seed pods are massive!
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Magnolia 'Big Dude' at Trewithen
Stenichneumon culpator on 'Big Dude' flower at Trewithen