Elisa Odenwald is an upright Magnolia featuring bright creamy white flowers. The flowers have a scented fragrance, and are very large - up to 30cm.
Elisa Odenwald is a late-flowering variety.
Elisa Odenwald is one of the "Gresham hybrids" - a series of Magnolia hybrids developed by American enthusiast Todd Gresham in the 1950s, almost always using the combination of an Asian or Saucer Magnolia - Magnolia x soulangeana Lennei Alba - crossed with Magnolia x veitchii. This is an example of a "back cross" because the two parents are also related. Gresham produced hundreds of seedlings which were grown on after his death by other enthusiasts. Elisa Odenwald is one of these, and was named by Kenneth Durio of Louisiana Nursery and introduced in the 1980s.
This variety description was researched and written by Orange Pippin staff. Last checked: 2022.