PlantFiles: Princess Sirindhorn's Magnolia
Magnolia sirindhorniae

Princess Sirindhorn's Magnolia hails from a swampy region of Lop Buri province in Thailand. It was discovered in the late 1990s and brought into the horticultural trade in Thailand in the past several years. The Thais have dubbed it 'Champi Sirindhorn' (pronounced like Jumpy Sirin-tone) in honor of their beloved princess.

Magnolia sirindhorniae is classified under the subsection Michelia of the genus Magnolia. It looks similar to Magnolia champaca and Magnolia x alba in appearance. The leaves are moderately glossy and flowers are similar to M. champaca but the tepals are white and somewhat wider.

For the Inland Empire (east of Los Angeles), I would say it is best to grow them in bright shade under the canopy of other trees or avoid midday sunshine, at least while the trees are still young. Sun damage can be sustained on very hot days above 90F, especially with the generally low humidity here. Perhaps they can adapt to growing in full sun here as they mature.

Mines did not go totally dormant during the Winter here. In fact, I observed them still producing new leaves and even branching out.