Roy Klehm talked about magnolias at Iowa Arboretum recently and brought with him from Illinois two dozen young trees for sale. I've coveted a yellow-flowered magnolia for years, ever since I discovered three mature trees in my neighborhood (see "the 'Hood'). But I was torn. Be frugal?  or give in and splurge? I splurged. I bought not one but two young trees, both 'Butterflies,' which is yellow-flowered. (Our database has 'Butterflies.' Click here.)
One of mypurchases is leafy and flourishing. The other looks expensively dead, but a new shoot is rising from the base of the dead stem. By the way, I think the dead stem is not dead. Time will tell.