Sent an email annelida....

if you cant find one.. you arent looking hard enough ... they are near bulletproof in my z5 .. as far as the tree itself.. and one in 10 years.. there is some flower problems.. you should have no problem ... they are spectacular.. unnamed or foo foo ones ... its all about how much you want to spend ... i would not buy any bigger than about 2 to 3 feet.. to make the job easier ... you simply need to find a nursery .. if they have that kind of thing in brooklyn ... otherwise.. time for some phone calls and a road trip ... mail order is an option.. but then you are talking in the 6 inch to one foot size.. regardless of size.. it will probably take a few years to start getting a really good flower show .. it is a tree/flowering shrub after all ... not an annual or perennial ... stay away from yellow ones.. they are not within your learning curve at this time ... too foo foo .. ken ps: i used to get a catalog from a nursery out that way .. maybe i will reactivate that brain cell ...east coast.. NJ??? .. well know.. family name [4 or 5 letters] .. specialized in woody shrubs ... newsprint catalog, back in the day ... maybe someone else will know it.. based on that dearth of info ..

I second the Portland Nursery recommendation -- very helpful and knowledgeable staff and one of my favorite places to go. I'm beginning to know the staff by name :) You shouldnÂt have any trouble tracking down a good magnolia  theyÂre fairly common here and I saw them at lots of nurseries last spring. YouÂre right, theyÂre a really delight in the spring. You might want to do a web search to see if there are varieties that you especially like. There are several to pick from. And speaking of lots to pick from: For more options on the Japanese maple, if you're not against traveling a few more miles, head across the Columbia just north of Vancouver, WA and go to Pollock and Sons. They specialize in Japanese maples and have many, many varieties to choose from. The staff is very friendly and helpful and helped me track down just what I needed and wanted. They're at 7901 NE 179th -- if you take I5, take the exit for 179th/Battle Ground and head east. If I remember correctly, they're less than 5 miles out, and it's very easy to find and get to. Also, do a search or post a question on the Japanese maple forum and you'll get long lists of people's favorites! Some Japanese maples don't take full sun well, so if that's what you have, keep that in mind when you're looking for a variety. We planted 'Osakazuki' last spring in a full sun location; the first summer they can get a little leaf burn but ours has done really well. Great fall color, too (see the link). If you have shade or part shade that won't be such a problem but make sure the tree you get will fit your location. "Japanese Maples" by J.D. Vertrees is a good reference, too, if you want to look at it at PowellÂs or somewhere. Have fun! Lots of choices  enjoy discovering just the right ones! Here is a link that might be useful:

I did propagate saucer magolia by air-layering. You can start air-layering after the leaves appear in the springand active plant growth starts. To be sure, allow 8 weeks for rooting before cutting from the mother plant. You can pot it for the first summer. In the fall, bury the pot up to the rim and put some mulch over the plant for winter protection. In spring you can plant it in ground so it will have full summer to root in the ground. You can google for air-layering techniques. It is simple.