With its pinkish to ruby red, star shaped blooms and sweet banana fragrance the Steller Ruby Magnolia shrub, also known as the Banana Shrub, makes for a beautiful addition to any suitable landscape. This is an evergreen variety of magnolia that grows at a moderate pace and quickly stretches to heights between 10 and 12 feet, eventually maturing to 15 feet or greater! This new variety of banana bush, unlike older varieties, will bloom in their early stages of growth and not only when they are mature so you will be able to enjoy the appearance and fragrance much earlier than in the past.
During spring, summer, and early fall, it showcases vibrant clusters of ruby red blossoms accented with yellow centers that emit a fragrance that is loved by many! The spring bloom is very dense and will continue through the summer and into the early fall before only the leaves remain and become the center of attention. The leaves are tough and oval shaped, bearing resemblance to the larger leaves of its kin, the southern magnolia. The leaves of the Stellar ruby measure between 4 and 6 inches in length and 3 inches in width.
Not overpowering and not faint the Stellar Ruby fragrance is often said to be reminiscent of both bananas and pears which is certainly a unique element in our opinion!
The Stellar Ruby Magnolia boasts a greater cold resistance versus other, older magnolia variants and is suitable for USDA zones 7-9. In the chillier regions of zone 7, it’s recommended to plant it in a protected spot, such as near the walls of a home.
The Stellar Ruby Magnolia is versatile in its light requirements, flourishing in everything from full sun to substantial partial shade. Flowering maybe reduced in shady conditions, but these conditions will not harm the plant.
The Steller Ruby prefers moist yet well-draining soils, struggling a bit in overly wet or dry conditions. This magnolia thrives in nutrient-rich soil that can be either acidic or alkaline. Enrich the planting site with ample organic material and continue to use it as mulch, ensuring it doesn’t touch the trunk or leaves.
Water 2-3 times a week for the first growing season. Afterward, provide supplemental watering 1-2 times a week when rainfall is low.
Fertilize yearly in spring with balanced, acidic plant fertilizer. For more rapid growth, reapply fertilizer every few months during the growing season.
Plant your Stellar Ruby Magnolia 3-4 feet apart for a seamless planting, Otherwise, space them 5-7+ feet apart for gaps between plants.
Michelle Agregaard (verified owner) –
I received a big healthy plant with no damages from shipping. I will order again in the future.
jdmangiapane (verified owner) –
I was extremely pleased with my experience ordering from PBM. My two Stellar Ruby Magnolias were delivered within a week. They arrived very well packaged and were bigger than anticipated. They even have flower buds on them. I decided to order another one and it was delivered in the same fashion. Will not hesitate to order from them again.
Team PBM –
Thank you <3
michael.varga211 (verified owner) –
First time growing a banana shrub. It didn’t really grow it’s first year. I’m hoping to see some thrive in its second year.
Dennis Karpuk (verified owner) –
My first purchase on plants by mail.
Good packaging, cheap fast shipping!
Plant had a bit of cold damage but nothing serious. We’ve had cold Temps all over the place this last month.
It was a well filled out 2 gallon container so that was nice to see!
Happy with my purchase
Chris C (verified owner) –
I bought several of the ruby magnolia in 2021 which arrived in great and healthy conditions. However, the plants, ruby magnolia and azelea, I received this year were in poor and unhealthy conditions. Packaging were poor and many branches were broken on arrival. Many of the azelea and magnolia plants look pretty dead to me as an experienced gardener. I am not sure if I will buy from PBM again.
Team PBM –
Thank you for reaching out to customer service following your review. The Azeleas as purchased are not evergreen azeleas and WILL enter dormancy. When a plant goes into dormancy they may look “pretty dead” but they are in fact very much Not. The Stellar Ruby Magnolias that I saw in your pictures are suffering from severe over watering and also a possible lack of Iron in your soil. You can solve this by operating with a regular watering schedule of no more than 2x a week and adding iron supplements to your soil. I hope this information is useful.
Q H (verified owner) –
The Plant arrived intact, and healthy. I am happy with this purchase.
CS (verified owner) –
Arrived in excellent condition and through it’s first month or so in the ground is looking very healthy.
Roy (verified owner) –
Received two excellent Stellar Ruby Magnolia (Banana Shrub) very healthy with no damage. Extremely satisfied and will purchase again from this online retailer.
CAE (verified owner) –
Looking out my back window at the plant this morning, it looks very happy in the spot i placed it in. I am looking forward to seeing it get taller and adding to my backyard.
Lillian Kelly (verified owner) –
Very pleased with the plant, very healthy and strong!!!
candylloyd1610 (verified owner) –
Beautiful looking shrub that was well packed.
Brenda (verified owner) –
It arrived looking great! It was packaged very nicely. Thanks for a great job.
Sandy Miller (verified owner) –
Very well packaged with planting instructions included. The plant was very healthy and vibrant.
Donna McClure (verified owner) –
I am really satisfied with my purchase of the Stellar Ruby Magnolia. It already has plenty of blooms and is growing well. It was packed carefully and received in excellent condition. I will definitely buy more plants from yall.
Rebecca H Williams (verified owner) –
I was so impressed on the delivery of my plant. Packed well, larger than I expected and no damage. I will definitely purchase from Plants by Mail again
Angie Bailey –
Love this Plant and this Site..
Karla Platt (verified owner) –
I ordered the Stellar Ruby Magnolia and it arrived in 6 days! Very well packed with no damage and a good size shrub.
Imma –
Very happy with this purchase. The Plant is beautiful! It arrived intact, healthy and luscious! already in the ground and doing well.
Thank you! Plant by mail.
Lorraine (verified owner) –
Potted plant arrived in great shape. It was well boxed so no damage when it arrived. I purchased it in August and it had a lot of potential blooms. Can’t wait until it grows throughout next year to enjoy the beautiful pink flowers and banana smell
Dana McKinley (verified owner) –
Really excited to see this grow! Arrived in perfect shape and was really big. Looks very healthy and I can’t wait to see some blooms. Interested to see what the banana scented flowers are like.
Whitney –
The plant overall is healthy. I was incredibly disappointed the plant was packaged in a box too small for the plant’s height. The central leader of the shrub had been bent to fit inside the box and was broken in two places. When I reached out to customer service, they would not accept responsibility for how the plant was packaged, which was disappointing and told me I could just prune it out. I work in horticulture and understand I can prune it out, but I paid for an intact plant that was not broken and it was the main central branch that I had to prune 10 inches off of. It was mostly disappointing that they would not accept responsibility and atleast try to resolve my disappointment.
Andy Detterline (verified owner) –
This bigger than expected healthy plant was artfully packaged. Not a single broken branch. I am thrilled with my puchase