If you're a magnolia lover then the Michelia plant is going to tickle your tastebuds just as much. These plants, best known for their fragrance, mimic the magnolia in so many ways that they're almost impossible to tell apart. The only telling sign they are a different species is the way they flower - michelias flower in clumps while magnolias flower at the end of their branches.

While that may be an obvious difference everything else about them screams "Magnolia". Their likes, dislikes, climate, growing and care conditions all reflect the way magnolias prefer to be maintained as well.

Native to China and named after a Florentine botanist, Pietro Antonio Michele, Michelias are a subtropical tree that flower at the end of winter through spring. Their aromatic flowers can add a wonderful dimension to any senses garden and their lush flowers offer a deliciously visual display.

While many magnolia species are deciduous all 50 Michelias are evergreen. It's the one feature that limits their architectural prowess but if you prefer evergreen plants over deciduous then this may keep your weekend chores to a minimum.

The Michelia, depending on which species, can grow to a height of 10m (30ft) but many grafted trees are now reducing this to a more respectable 5m (15ft) making them suitable for most home gardens. Shrubby Michelias such as M.figo and M. champaca grow to these heights but bush out to almost the same widths.

Care and Growing Tips for your Michelia

Michelias prefer warmer climates and really need to be grown in the ground rather than in pots. They don't appreciate being transplanted once they've become established and in many cases this can prove fatal.

Like most subtropical plants, Michelias are best suited to a well-drained soil where they can be protected from hot summer winds and have easy access to moisture. Frosts can damage the flowers, however, it has very little effect on the tree itself.

Watering is one of the key requirements to caring for a Michelia. As is often the case, Michelias will struggle to survive if the plant is not watered enough during the hotter months but moreso than most plants. Watering them every day, or at least every second day, seems to keep them appeased.

Propagation is best achieved using air layering, hardwood cuttings or via grafting.