Deciduous shrub to 3 m or so tall. Young shoots thin and hairy. Leaves broadly elliptic, 10-15 cm long, shortly pointed, base rounded, vein pairs 6-10, mostly downy below. Flowers after the leaves, fragrant, on hairy stalks, long lasting. Sepals 3, reddish outside, soon shed. Petals mostly 6, obovate. Stamens carmine. Late spring to early summer. Fruits cylindrical, hanging, pinkish to deep purple.

China, Japan, Korea

Broadly ovate leaves with downy hairs below.

Ueda (1980).

subsp. sieboldii Leaves broadly ovate with at least a few rusty hairs below.

subsp. sinensis (Rehder & E.H. Wilson) Stapf

China (W Sichuan)

Shrub with young shoots softly hairy. Leaves obovate to elliptic, 8-14 cm long, bluish and hairy below. Flowers appearing after the leaves, fragrant, pendulous when in full bloom. Perianth segments 9. Fruit pinkish red, pendulous. [M. sinensis Rehder & E.H. Wilson]

Pendulous flowers and fruits.

Source: Spencer, R. (1997). Magnoliaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.