Habitat: This magnolia will tolerate partial shade but prefers full sun. It is the best magnolia for planting in clay soils and tolerates atmospheric pollution.
Diseases: pose no serious threat to cultivation, although black mildew, leaf blight, canker, magnolia scale and dieback have been reported. Bark is often ringed with unsightly holes from the yellow-bellied sapsucker, a songbird that feeds on tree sap. Continued growth of damaged trees is, however, reported to be unaffected.
Distribution: The saucer magnolia is widely-cultivated in the milder parts of Canada and across much of the US, and is hardy across the southern two-thirds of Iowa, although the blooms are often destroyed by late frosts and cold winds.
