Betty Magnolia

Betty magnolia is an upright, deciduous shrub or small tree, usually reaching 10–15 feet tall and 8–12 feet wide. Its reddish-purple flowers have white interiors and open in mid-spring, generally after star and saucer magnolias; the cultivar belongs to the U.S. National Arboretum’s Little Girl series. [Morton Arboretum](https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/magnolia/) · [Chicago Botanic Garden](https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plant-information/plant-finder/magnolia-betty-betty-magnolia) ## Landscape Use Use Betty as a spring-flowering specimen in a small garden or mixed shrub border. Its later bloom can help flowers avoid some early-spring frosts, though an unusually hard freeze may still damage open buds. New leaves emerge copper-red and mature to medium green. Choose a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade with well-drained soil; allow room for its rounded, multi-stemmed form. ## Maintenance Plant in spring and mulch over the shallow root zone to moderate soil temperature and conserve moisture. If shaping is needed, prune soon after flowering so you are less likely to remove next spring’s flower buds.