Since the late J.C. Raulston was alive, various variegated foliage forms of our native Magnolia grandiflora have been passed around the local high end collectors market. While I found them fascinating, it was obvious to me that they were genetically unstable, periclinal chimeras. A few years ago, local plantsman, Tom Krenitsky offered me his selection, that he proclaimed completely stable, and since it was, he had named it Magnolia grandiflora ‘Noel’, after the late Raleigh Parks horticulturist, Noel Weston. Well, five year later, Magnolia ‘Noel’ is as unstable and unreliable as a modern day political poll. Every year, we remove bushels of solid green branches, so it’s time here is probably limited. As Abe Lincoln once said, “Well, for people who like that sort of thing, I think that is just about the kind of thing they’d like”.
