Magnolia stellata, commonly called star magnolia, is a lovely multi-stemmed tree with white to pink flushed flowers. If you get up close to the tree when it is in bloom you will notice a delicate perfume coming from the so called - star shaped flowers. I always wondered about this star shaped description as the magnolia flowers seem too floppy to be considered a star. They look more like pom poms to me but star sounds more elegant so maybe that is why it is often used.

These trees are just starting to bloom in designed gardens and city landscapes here in Vancouver so check them out if you are looking for a good small tree. I like using multi-stemmed trees in mixed planting plans as they add a nice informality to the landscape. They also act as a good bridging height between large shrubs and medium sized trees to achieve a good balance in the design of your Vancouver garden.