how do you like the fragrance of champaka compared to alba?

It's like apple and orange. Champaka fragrance is stronger and flower last longer. The aroma is richer as well with a spicy hint. Alba is pure and sweet.

Wow Yellow Thumb. Thats amazing. Where did you buy your plant??

Wow Yellothumb, I'm so jealous! Can you tell us more about the size of the plant and how old? Is it seed grown or a selected variety? I've always wanted a blooming champaca but it's just they're so large at the local nursery and take years to bloom.

Thanks for the description on the scent.

I got my plant from a nursery located at Montreal. But he got it from Thailand I believe. When you asking for the plant, remember it has to be grafted.

Mine is only two years old, last year it's only a twig with no more than 5 leaves about two feet tall. This year it grew into 6 feet tall, well branched.

The flower and the buds looks amazing. If you don't mind how much did you pay for it? Most the nurseries that sell them here(US) are v.expensive. That too a 6 feet plant is almost like $70.00. Hence the curiousity. The plant also looks v.healthy.

hi, Yellowthumb, The tree grows impressively fast and healthy. I know M. Champaca has stronger fragrant than M.Alba but only from text book. Thank you for descripting and comparing the scents of M.Ch. and M.Alba.

Do you know what root stock your M. Champaca is grafted on?

I paid about 45 bucks for a two feet stub. But it's grafted. I believe the nursery owner order a batch bare root plants from Thailand dirt cheap, then he rooted them. Of course, some will die.

I believe it was grafted on seed grown Champaca. But what impressived me is that it grows really aggressively. Almost non-stop the whole winter under a shop light. The roots are very aggressive as well. It surely outgrows Alba a lot.

That looks great yellowthumb! I have a champaca (but I am quite sure it is a seed grown). That is going to take a while to bloom...

I just have a question, this can be grown in container to bloom right? It need not be in ground? I have always heard that these plants require great height to bloom...

I wonder if seed grown champaca is different...

Thanks,
Ruby

Yes, it can be grown in a container for sure. The point is that it will be big. I had a seed grown one that has a trunk of two inches, still not flowering. I saw one in pot that is almost 7 feet tall and bushy, no flowers. Champaca is grown for lumber in some cases.

If you want a compact size and flower, try to graft it.

Hi, Yellowthumb, I had M. Abla that died during winter time. Summer time it was growing aggressively but winter cold temp. and low light is big problem. You said you just kept it under a shop light during the winter in door. Do you mean a regular 60w shop light or more Wattage? What is the temperature did you give it in winter? Does the M. Alba grow under the same condition too?

Yes, something similar. The light is not a problem. The cold and wet is. Try to use gritty mix. It's the magical thing you could use for Alba.

Yellowthumb, does the nursery you bought it from have an online catalog?

I notice when M. alba oxidizes turning the dark red-brown color after being picked, it takes on a different scent like overripe or maybe rotten apples and maybe a hint of oranges. That sounds strange, but it's still pleasant to smell. I wonder if this is similar to the scent you describe for your Champaca.

ClareCA mentions on DA that her Champaca has an incense-like scent that is best appreciated at a distance. LongRiver in an old post mention that Champaca can have different scents depending on the variety and that some are very pleasant. My mom has mentioned her strong dislike for Champaca scent (she is from Cambodia where Champaca is not popular at all and Alba wins by a milestone and widely planted); I assume she did not encounter a good-smelling Champaca variety when she was living there.

Yes, it does.

Search Flora Exoitca, it's located in Montreal.

No, that's not the smell. The aged Alba doesn't smell nice to me.

Sent is a personal thing, but so far all 5 people in the house really likes it. But when there are too many flowers, you better appreciate it from a distance. I moved it to my room this morning with over 10 flowers on it. I can feel that my food tastes differently because of the strong fragrance. After about 2 hours, I moved it out. I guess too much a good thing can be borthing too.

That champaca looks so niceeee, yellowthumb!!! Thanks for sharing. : )

I love that orange color of your Michelia Champaca. Are the leaves fuzzy or smooth? Thanks a bunch.

Kasie

It's kind of fuzzy, but kind of hard fuzzy, not leathery. The leaves feel very tough to touch.

Oh that plant just makes me swoon. It's truly amazing that this is growing in Canada! I really admire your great effort into growing these plants.

Thanks for teh info on the nursery YT, but I think I might have to pass because of Sudden Oak Death being associated with magnolias, I don't think California USDA customs would allow that plant to be imported.

Thank you for the info Yellowthumb. I have one planted in the ground that is quiet a distance from the house. It's been about 6 years now and I still have not seen any flowers on it. Perhaps I bought a seedling?

Kasie

Yellowthumb!

Thank you so much for your advice and information.

I tried that guy in Canada, and he NEVER responded to me after a week thus far.Now that is what I call doing buisness..oll

Is there anyway you could help me out?

Thanks so much my friend.
Mike

Well, I live in San Francisco, Ca. Ihave a michelia alba tree grow in my backyard for almost 30 years and it is about 30feet tall. The smell of the m. alba are very sweet but not tht strong. If you put the flowers in wet paper, the flowers will last for about week before they will turn yellow or brown. I don't have michelia champaca, but I know that it is very easy to grow them. But the michelia alba will hard to grow. The flowers of the michelia alba is white and creammy but not yellow. The price for a 5 to 6 feet tall michelia alba sell in San Francisco is about $138.00 I think they are grafted.

Hi Yellowthumb,

I have a questioned about my michelia alba. When I first bought the plant it was only the michelia alba grafted. And now the there's another plant growing from there and I don't know what it is? Is it a michelia champaca or what can you please tell what kind of plant it is. It's been growing faster than my alba, it started growing from the bottom of the trunk of the tree. The leaves is kind of fuzzy and big not a leathery fuzzy but fuzzy. The way you described your champaca it sounds like that plant but I'm not sure so can you please give me some ideas. And there's the picture of the plant, it has grown so much that it over takes my alba. I just hope that it is a champaca and the alba all in one pot.
Thanks Savy 4

Savy4, yeah that's the Champaca you are seeing. Most sellers grafted M. Alba on Champaca rootstocks.
If you like Champaca you can let it grow but you need to be careful because that can take up energy from growing the Alba.

Wow yellowthumb that is a really healthy looking Michelia champaca i have lots of michelias including michelia alba and michelia champaca and out of all my michelias champaca is the only one not to flower!! :( it is well over 7foot tall but i read some where that from seed Michelia champaca can take 8-10years to flower!( i have owned it for about 7 years) But its so good to see and hear that the wait will be worth while not only for its beauty but fragrance too :)

Hi Kemistry, will my champaca ever have flower since it's growing from rootstock.
Savy4

Yes it will flower but that will probably take a while since the rootstock is a seedling. If you value the Alba more it's probably best that you remove your champaca branch so that the tree can focus its energy into growing the Alba. : )

I love M. alba, the fragrance is amazing. Too bad it withered and died on me. I'm looking for its replacement, as well as M. champaca. Any sources to get them from SoCal would be great.
Thanks,

I have just bought a michelia champaca on amazon it is from cuttings. And the nusery is located in California. I hope my micheila champaca grows quick and give me some bloom on it.

Savy4

Newgen, Tropical Vibe. Newport Bch area.

Armstrong also have them. Really healthy and blooming now too.