Magnolia doltsopa

The heavenly scent of the beautiful flowers of this stunning plant will be noticed before you come upon it in the east ridge and furrow Pavilion, the Asian and Himalayan section. These multi-petalled, pure white flowers develop in the leaf axils along the stems over many weeks, from buds covered in copper coloured, velvety hairs. The dark green, glossy leaves develop from similar buds and contrast perfectly with the flowers. A much admired and desirable plant, its slight tenderness explains why it is not often seen. It was formerly included in a separate genus, Michelia, named after a 17th century botanist and polymath, but was introduced to the UK by George Forrest only in 1918.