Magnolia figo 'Stellar Ruby' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Banana shrub

Magnolia figo 'Stellar Ruby'

£42.49 £49.99 SAVE 15%
Protect from hard frostEvergreen
Pot size
19cm / 3L £42.49

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Magnolia figo 'Stellar Ruby' is an evergreen magnolia in the banana shrub group, prized for its small, richly scented flowers in shades of ruby, maroon and dusky pink. The fragrance is the real party trick: it is variously described as ripe bananas, pear drops or vintage port, and it carries on warm days. Unlike the big spring magnolias, this is a dense, narrow, upright evergreen that flowers from a young age and grows quickly.

Hardiness and seasons. The RHS rates it H3, so it is best suited to mild and coastal gardens, a warm sheltered courtyard or a large container that can be moved under cover in a hard winter. Some UK nurseries report established plants in sheltered spots standing around -10C, but in cold inland gardens it is safest treated as a plant that needs winter protection. The main flush of flowers comes in late spring and early summer, often with a second flush in late summer, and the glossy deep green leaves hold all year.

How and where to grow. Give it full sun or light shade in a sheltered position, ideally south, east or west facing, out of cold drying winds. It likes a fertile, moist but well-drained soil on the neutral to acid side, and it does well in a pot of peat-free, loam-based compost. Expect roughly 2.5 to 4m tall but only 1 to 1.5m wide within five to ten years, so it fits where most magnolias will not.

Using it in the garden. The slim, columnar shape makes it a natural choice for small gardens, courtyards and doorways, where the scent can be enjoyed close up. Use it as an evergreen exclamation mark in an exotic border, as informal screening in mild gardens, or as a pair of pot-grown sentinels either side of a path. It sits beautifully with lush, large-leaved planting that shows off the neat, glossy foliage.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Banana shrub

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Banana shrub

Magnolia figo 'Stellar Ruby' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Screening & Privacy

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Semi-Hardy (H3): down to around −5°C. Half-hardy; reliable in mild or coastal gardens, protect in colder areas.

H3, so best in mild or coastal gardens or a container moved under cover in hard winters. Some sheltered, established plants take around -10C. Read moreShow less

H3, so best in mild or coastal gardens or a container moved under cover in hard winters. Some sheltered, established plants take around -10C.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Full sun or light shade in a sheltered spot, out of cold drying winds. Read moreShow less

Full sun or light shade in a sheltered spot, out of cold drying winds.

Soil

ClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH
Fertile, moist but well-drained soil, neutral to acid; thrives in pots of peat-free, loam-based compost. Read moreShow less

Fertile, moist but well-drained soil, neutral to acid; thrives in pots of peat-free, loam-based compost.

Watering

Water regularly through the first year and in dry spells; keep container plants evenly moist but never waterlogged. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first year and in dry spells; keep container plants evenly moist but never waterlogged.

Mature size

Height2.5 to 4m
Spread1 to 1.5m

Reaches full size in 5 to 10 years

Growth habit

Columnar/upright

Flowering

Late spring to early summer, often with a second flush in late summer · Red, Purple, Pink

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Little pruning is needed. Lightly trim or shorten wayward shoots after the main flush of flowers to keep the narrow shape; it responds well to trimming.

Toxicity

Not known to be toxic to people or pets.

Native range

Garden selection raised in North Carolina, USA; the parent species Magnolia figo is native to China.

Family

Magnoliaceae

Also known as

Magnolia figo 'Stellar Ruby'

Genus

Magnolia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Magnolia 'Stellar Ruby' hardy in the UK?

It is rated H3 by the RHS, so it suits mild and coastal gardens or a sheltered spot. Some UK nurseries report established plants standing around -10C, but in cold inland areas it is safest in a container that can be moved under cover for winter.

Is it evergreen?

Yes. It keeps its glossy, deep green leaves all year, which makes it useful for structure and informal screening.

What does the scent smell like?

The small ruby-maroon flowers have a strong fruity fragrance, usually described as ripe bananas, pear drops or vintage port, strongest on warm days.

Can I keep it in a pot?

Yes, it does very well in a large container of peat-free, loam-based compost, which also makes winter protection easy in colder gardens.

How big does it get?

Around 2.5 to 4m tall but only 1 to 1.5m wide within five to ten years. The narrow, upright habit suits small spaces and it can be trimmed to size.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Magnolia figo 'Stellar Ruby'
£42.49 £49.99