Nice to hear, I have another one now I just recently bought in Va when I went on vacation there. The only other S.Mag I've seen in my area is a rich peoples area, it's where the Drs, Lawyers and Indian chiefs live, someone there has 2 fairly large S.Mags there, and when I went to the compost/leaf dump center, someone had dumped some cuttings from S.mag trees. They are very rare here, but, I would imagine that those in the rich neighborhood may have seen them and possibly a few people have planted them, unless those prunings were from those 2 trees I saw. They may have planted them small, because they weren't conicle like many nursery grown large transplants are shaped USUALLY. For all I know maybe a nursery near us is planting them, but, one of the largest around doesn't have them, I already nosed around there. Anyway, rmencel, it's great to have something so Tropicalesque, in our zones that needs no protection.

Well, a few things. First, I think many grandifloras will give you that lush, ball shape, with branches virtually to the ground (including the cold hardier ones like Victoria or Edith Bogue). I will post a few pics tomorrow of some that have been in the ground for 4-5 years. I got them small enough so that they could fit into the car but you would be amazed at how fast they grew! Mostly purchased at either HD, L's, or local garden center, and not for a lot of $. Speaking of which many stores have great deals on trees at this time of the year, however, if you do get one now, I would hold off on planting outside until Spring. Funny you should have a pic with deer because I live with a virtual deer colony here. No, the deer WILL NOT eat the leaves but they LOVE to rut the trunks of mags (Deciduous or evergreen) because of the smooth bark. However, those you describe as ball-shaped tend not to get selected by the bucks. They select those with more easily accessible trunks! I have been temped to prune those branches that cascade down to the ground, but do not for this reason. Now, the one negative trait that they all have is that many leaves are shed normally in the Spring--around the time new growth commences. This is normal. So peak leaf litter here is May into June, not so many in July and August, and none in the Autumn when I we get buried with deciduous leaves. None also in the Winter. No winter leaf burn occurs on the Victorias or Edith Bogues (which actually first gained national prominence as a distinct strain once it got to NJ from a tree growing in Florida and yet endured a severely cold Winter killing other S. mags). I do get some minor burn on a nameless cultivar that I got and believe to be 'Green Giant' but that one grows fastest of all so the point is moot (cultivar known for rapid growth, almost no brown on the underside, and limited tolerance to extreme cold). P.S., The attached pic was from last year, and is either an Edith Bogue or Majestic Beauty (didn't think to label the cultivar). Njoasis Here is a link that might be useful:

Joseph Hickman, a well-respected attorney (now deceased) formed his own club of hardy southern magnolia fanciers. His collection of magnolia grandiflora and american Holly still is in Benton, Illinois. In his opinion Brackens was the hardiest. I have done numerous google searches and found many are growing it west of Chicago. Many years ago Dr. Dirr did an article on testing the limits of southern magnolia in the Horticulture magazine in March of 1992. He did a very scientific study and rated some of the hardiest magnolia grandliflora known. In my modest collection I have Edith Bogue, Twenty Four Below, Victoria, Poconos and I had a nursery in Tennessee to root some cuttings from the most exposed of locations that fared the best in winter of the late 70`s here. If everyone was contented with the plants as they were originally where would we be today. People like Mrs. Meservae I`m told wasn`t contented with what she hollies she could grow. With very limited knowledge of genetics, she still made quite a contribution to plant lovers everywhere with the blue hollies rugose/Chinese hollies and rugose and English Holly. I don`t think one should stake their livelihood on growing plants of marginal hardiness, but pushing the limits benefits us all. By the way there are also evergreen forms of magnolia virginiana. I`m experimenting with Henry Hicks Pat McCracken has it as one of his goals to find or create selections of magnolia grandiflora for Zone 4.

What is your gardening zone?! How cold do you get and for how long? I don't have Braken's Brown but they are known for cold hardiness. Below is a Victoria in my NJ yard, I have a forest of evergreen Magnolias, different cultivars. Buy it if you like, but they need SPACE. Surprised that they are being sold in your area so early in the year, here they may pop up in April through June. P.S., Regarding cleanup, their older leaves fall off in May and June, while they are growing vigorously. There is little leaf debris in the Fall but cones are all over the lawn in November-January, and here, they have recently started to self-sow..., so, I get more trees to either prune out or give to friends.