Magnolia sieboldii, or Siebold's magnolia, also known as Korean mountain magnolia and Oyama magnolia, is a species of Magnolia native to east Asia in China, Japan, and Korea. It is named after the German doctor Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796–1866).
Description
Magnolia sieboldii is a large deciduous shrub or small tree tall. The stalks, young leaves, young twigs and young buds are downy. The leaves are elliptical to ovate-oblong, 9–16 cm (rarely 25 cm) long and 4–10 cm (rarely 12 cm) broad, with a 1.5–4.5 cm petiole.
The flowers, unlike the spring flowering magnolias, open primarily in the early summer, but continue intermittently until late summer. They are pendulous, cup-shaped, 7–10 cm diameter, and have 6–12 tepals, the outer three smaller, the rest larger, and pure white; the carpels are greenish and the stamens reddish-purple or greenish-white.
Taxonomy It was described by Karl Koch in 1853. Subspecies There are three subspecies:Magnolia sieboldii K.Koch. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 23 July 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:554840-1 Magnolia sieboldii subsp. japonica from Japan Low shrub; flowers with 6 tepals and greenish-white stamens. Magnolia sieboldii subsp. sieboldii Japan, Korea, eastern China. Tree or large shrub; flowers with 9-12 tepals and reddish-purple stamens; leaves smaller, rarely over 16 cm. Magnolia sieboldii subsp. sinensis Southwestern China (Sichuan); flowers as subsp. sieboldii; leaves larger, commonly to 22 cm.
Cultivation Magnolia sieboldii is grown as an ornamental tree in gardens. It is one of the hardiest magnolias, successful in cultivation as far north as Arboretum Mustila in Finland. The cultivar 'Colossus' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Called mongnan or mokran (목란/), Siebold's magnolia is the national flower of North Korea.
References
Hunt, D. (ed). (1998). Magnolias and their allies. International Dendrology Society and Magnolia Society. Flora of China: Magnoliaceae (draft account)
External links
Friedman, William (Ned). "Oyama magnolia in full bloom." Posts from the Collections, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University website, 12 June 2016. Accessed 1 October 2019. Magnolia sieboldii images at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Plant Image Database.