Winter-blossoming trees including some rare magnolias and camellias are in peak bloom at the Sonoma Botanical Garden. Winter magnolia flowers on bare branches hold a unique beauty, making a trip to the Garden a sublime romantic date.
Located at 12841 Sonoma Highway in Glen Ellen, the Garden’s Asian Woodland is home to over 40 species of Asian magnolias, many of which are endangered in their native habitat.
The Garden’s largest Yulan Magnolia (Magnolia denudata) is now 30 years old, grown from a seed from the Zhejiang Province on the eastern coast of China. The tree that is generally leafless in the winter now has large white flowers with a tinge of pink at the base.
Many other plants in the Garden’s Asian Woodland are in full bloom. The Himalayan Evergreen Magnolia (Magnolia doltsopa) with thin, long and pointed petals over the backdrop of dark, evergreen leaves. Many of the Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) trees—collected from wild seeds in Central Japan—are beginning to flower. The thin, delicate white to pink petals resemble a star shape giving it its name.
The rare Magnolia stellata or Star Magnolia in full bloom at the Sonoma Botanical Garden. (Sonoma Botanical Garden)
The Magnolia doltsopa or the Himalayan Evergreen Magnolia with its thin, long and pointed petals created more of a handkerchief look rather than a bowl shape. (Sonoma Botanical Garden)
Rare species Magnolia denudata or Yulan Magnolia in full winter bloom at the Sonoma Botanical Garden. (Sonoma Botanical Garden).
Show Caption
1 of 3
The rare Magnolia stellata or Star Magnolia in full bloom at the Sonoma Botanical Garden. (Sonoma Botanical Garden)
Expand
The Garden will also hold a special talk by art historian Craig Griffeath on Friday, February 13, on ‘the art’ of love for Valentine’s Day. The talk is scheduled for noon and will take the audience on a walk through the subject of love and romance in art. The talk is part of its Botanical Briefings lecture series.
Also on display at the Garden will be the Bonsai and Blooms exhibition which draws inspiration from the centuries-old Japanese tradition of celebrating the fleeting beauty of flowers, Hanami. A miniature plum forest landscape by a member of the Redwood Empire Bonsai Society is bursting out with small, white blooms right now.
Comments are closed.