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Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 4-9
- Spacing: 15-25'
- Exposure: Sun/Part Shade
- Deer Resistant: Yes
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Dr. Merrill Magnolia - multi stem
This Tree is not available for Sale at this time through Bower & Branch. Bower & Branch provides this information for reference only. Please check back with us or contact us for more detail.
Dr. Merrill Magnolia’s joyful display of sweet-smelling, bright white flowers comes as a relief, because it can only mean one thing: spring has arrived! After a long, cold winter, a Merrill Magnolia in your yard will lift your spirits and put a smile on the face of everyone who passes by. For maximum impact, plant this medium-sized accent tree in front of dark green evergreens, such as Norway Spruce or Arborvitae. Our low-branched, multi-stemmed Merrill Magnolias do double-duty as specimens and as dense, leafy privacy screens during the growing season. Our single-stem Merrills have more of a traditional tree shape, with clearance below for planting early bulbs like daffodils and hyacinths. Let the springtime begin!
Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 4-9
- Spacing: 15-25'
- Exposure: Sun/Part Shade
- Deer Resistant: Yes
- Show more ›
The Story
Dr. Merrill Magnolia is a hybrid of two magnolia species which retains the best qualities of both parents: it flowers at a young age, and it grows vigorously. A student at Harvard University made the cross in 1939, but the honors of the naming went instead to Dr. Elmer Merrill, a former director of the arboretum there. Dr. Merrill possessed a vast knowledge of plants from all over the world; during WWII, he published a survival guide identifying edible and poisonous plants for our troops in the South Pacific.
The Details
Dr. Merrill…paging Dr. Merrill…you need some heart jumping excitement in your garden - stat! This flowering Magnolia will give you a boost with an abundance of fragrant white flowers. Dr. Merrill's crisp white star-like flowers cover the bare branches of this dense, low-branching tree in early spring.
How to Grow
Dr. Merrill isn’t difficult to grow, and is cold-hardy to Maine. With sunshine and regular water, it will flourish. The only problem with these early-blooming magnolias (early March in our southernmost states, late April in the North) is that every few years, a late frost zaps the blossoms, turning them the color of toasted marshmallows. There isn’t much you can do about it. For many, the glory of the “good years” outweighs the risk of a bad one. It all depends upon whether you see the glass as half-empty or half-full!
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Size Guide

Scale
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Size B Trees:
5-6' tall. Bower & Branch allows this multi-stemmed form to branch low near the ground to give almost a clump like appearance that with age will develop into a beautiful low branching structure that many desire. Full and wide trees are shipped for immediate "Landscape Impact." Grown in our #15 tree container.
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