We have grown 2 Elizabeth Magnolias in our So. Maine front yard for about 15 years now. Love the yellow petals and the fragrance. So different from the more common pinks. They are planted on either side of our front walkway leading to the sidewalk. Over 10' high. They are planted in full sun. When we first planted them, we babied them for the first 2 years to give them a good start. Wrapped them in burlap come Winter, mulched around the base, etc. They have had a good run but we will be cutting them down this Spring. The trunk on one has split and is dying off. The other has contracted a disease/fungus of some sort and is dripping sap all over the other plants nearby. You won't be disappointed with Elizabeth. Definitely a show stopper. Over the years, people have stopped to comment and asked what type magnolia they were. How beautiful they were. Took pictures too!

Thanks for the hardiness info, since we continue to have pretty cold springs, I'd hate to have a tree that lost it's flower buds to late cold.

Sounds great, but you feel it has a 15year life span and reaches about 10ft high? I had a spot in mind that is more shady than sunny. Maybe that would not perform well there. I'll have to give that more thought.

Thanks!

I would stick with more sun than shade with Elizabeth. It may grow with a shady spot, but it wont prosper as much as with full sun. Our magnolias would more then likely have a longer life span then 15 years (well, the one that is just diseased, not the split trunk one) if we had paid better attention to them. The disease has run all the way up to the top of the mag. It still blooms beautifully, but I don't like the sap that emanates from it. It get all over my other foundation plantings.

Flowers prone to browning in Seattle area (USDA 8). Also there are more recent introductions that are a more definite yellow.

As for 15 years and 10 ft. here are photos of one at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, where the cultivar originated. Notice that the very lowest part of the one branch, lower than the others and that reaches over the clipped hedge toward the walk is at about the same height above the ground as the man is tall. This makes the tree at least 30 ft. high.

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/the-magnolia-elizabeth-at-the-brooklyn-botanic-garden/

The 'disease' that drips sap all over everything sounds more like the honeydew (poop) from the Magnolia Scale insect. Native insect with an affinity for Asian Magnolias. 'Elizabeth' is an Asian x North American cross so a good possibility that the scale insect could get to quite high numbers on a tree.

It can be treated with dormant oil applied before buds break or with a systemic insecticide trunk injection in mid to late spring. Call up a local arborist, get the tree diagnosed, then discuss treatment options

Embothrium - Great link, gorgeous flowers! Sure, I'd like something more definitely yellow. That photo of Elizabeth from a distance does appear almost white. But my main interest would be in how fragrant it might be too.

Thanks Smivies - I always thought scale only survived on indoor plants not outside.

Magnolia Scale

Pretty ugly looking. Thanks for the link.

Our mags just have a grey looking flat fungus on branches and trunk. I think Smivies is correct about the insects making the sap.. prairiemoon2, don't be discouraged. The disease didn't develop til a few years ago. Many, many years of healthy growing. Beautiful flowers and fragrance as I said before. I would plant them again in a heartbeat. Your growth will most likely be better in your zone. I am in So. Maine- 5 near the coast.

>Our mags just have a grey looking flat fungus on branches and trunk<

Lichen, a combination of algae and fungus also seen on wood fences and on rocks.

Thanks NancyLousie - I'm glad you like them enough to plant them again. I actually just thought of another location I might want to put one where it will get more sun. So I'm still weighing it.

Lichen - is not so bad. I see that on a lot of things, might even be what is on the bark of my Japanese Maple.

Many think the trunk splitting is from winter sun hitting the trunk; therefore, protect the trunk from winter sun when growing in colder areas.

I like the softer yellow of Elizabeth. The yellow cultivars are more gaudy.

I have been eyeing 'Golden Gift' in images for a few years. I like its later flowers since I get late frosts, although that means the bloom overlaps some with the leaves. It has a richer shade of yellow.