Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' — 17cm / 2L
Evergreen magnolia 'Kay Parris'

Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris'

£29.99
Hardy in the UKEvergreenRHS award winner
Pot size
17cm / 2L £29.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up
Description

Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' is a compact, densely branched evergreen magnolia with big, lemon-scented, creamy-white flowers from summer into autumn. Its glossy, deep green leaves have wavy edges and rich rusty-brown felt underneath, so the plant looks good in every month, flowers or not.

Hardiness and seasons. Rated H5 by the RHS, hardy to around -15C, and holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. It keeps its leaves all year. Cup-shaped flowers up to 20cm across open from early summer, with more following into autumn, and it flowers from a young age.

Where it fits. 'Compact' is relative: expect around 4m tall and 3m wide after ten years, and more in time. That makes it a fine specimen or evergreen screen for a sheltered garden, or a plant to train against a sunny wall. Any well-drained soil suits it, chalk included.

What you receive: a young plant in a 17cm (2L) pot, with its evergreen leaves all year round.

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.

Find out more

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.

Best quality plants guaranteed
7 day live arrival guarantee
Delivered to your door with care
Earn 149 points with this plant · 5 points per £1 Join free

How to care for Evergreen magnolia 'Kay Parris'

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

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.
Get to know me

About Evergreen magnolia 'Kay Parris'

Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Architectural Screening & Privacy

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H5 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −15°C

Rated H5 by the RHS (-15 to -10C): hardy in most of the UK even in severe winters. Cold winds and late frosts can mark the buds and flowers, so a sheltered position keeps it looking its best. Young plants in their first winter benefit from a mulch over the roots. See what to expect through the seasons.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeSouth-facingEast-facingWest-facingSheltered

Full sun or partial shade, facing south, east or west, and sheltered from strong, cold winds, which can damage buds and flowers. It is a classic plant for training against a sunny wall, and its glossy leaves give an exotic look year round. For a smaller evergreen magnolia, see Magnolia laevifolia 'Honey Velvet'.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Any moist but well-drained soil: chalk, clay, loam or sand, acid to alkaline. It does best in fertile, slightly acidic soil that stays moist but tolerates dry, alkaline ground once established. Avoid waterlogged sites.

Watering

Water regularly through the first two summers and mulch each spring. Once established it copes with dry spells. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first two summers and mulch each spring. Once established it copes with dry spells.

Mature size

Height6-12 m
Spread2.5-4 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

Jun-Sep · White, Cream

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Little pruning is needed. Shape it or tie in wall-trained shoots straight after flowering or in late summer, and remove any frost-damaged growth in spring.

Toxicity

No toxicity is recorded for this plant by the RHS, and the ASPCA lists magnolia as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses. As with any garden plant, do not eat it.

Native range

South-eastern USA to Texas (species); 'Kay Parris' was raised by Kevin Parris in South Carolina

Family

Magnoliaceae

Also known as

Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris'

Genus

Magnolia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does Magnolia 'Kay Parris' grow?

Around 4m tall and 3m wide after ten years, and eventually 6m or more. The RHS gives an ultimate height of 8 to 12m. It is compact for an evergreen magnolia, being narrower and more densely branched than most, but it is still a small tree in time.

Is Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' hardy in the UK?

Yes. The RHS rates it H5, hardy to around -15C, and it holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Shelter it from strong, cold winds, which can damage the buds and flowers.

When does 'Kay Parris' flower?

From early summer into autumn, with large, cup-shaped, lemon-scented flowers. Unlike many magnolias, it starts flowering from a young age.

How is 'Kay Parris' different from 'Little Gem'?

It is a cross between 'Little Gem' and 'Bracken's Brown Beauty', bred by Kevin Parris in South Carolina and named after his mother. It is robust and densely branched, with a stronger branch structure than 'Little Gem', wavy-edged leaves and velvety orange-brown undersides.

Can you grow an evergreen magnolia against a wall?

Yes, and a sunny, sheltered wall is one of the best places for it. Tie in the main shoots as it grows and trim after flowering. For a smaller, scented evergreen magnolia, look at Magnolia figo 'Stellar Ruby', which suits mild gardens.

Does Magnolia grandiflora grow on chalk?

Yes. The RHS lists chalk, clay, loam and sand, acid to alkaline, as long as the soil drains. It does best in fertile, slightly acidic soil. More evergreen screening plants are in our outdoor range.

Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.

If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.

If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
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 7 days 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.

Verified reviews

Rated by real customers

You may also like

We recommend
Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris'
£29.99