Magnolia 'Banana Split'

A cross made by Dr. August Kehr (USA in 1992), cultivated and selected by Philippe de Spoelberch at the Arboretum. It is a powerful upright tree which blooms relatively late (April). The pale yellow flowers are huge (up to 27cm diameter) and floppy. They open completely (like the rind of a peeled banana but then more graceful). The outer tepals show shades of green while the inner tepals often have a purple base.