Most of them grow over a foot per year when doing well. Some deciduous tree form ones can be quite a bit faster, at least when young. But any deciduous specimen - magnolia or otherwise - will become transparent when leafless.

Oyama Magnolia is a big, broad vase-shaped bush unless trained in the early stages to have an elevated crown on a single stem. The biggest one I have seen was in a garden featuring rhododendrons south of Vancouver, BC. It was probably about 20 ft. across. In most instances "small" in a magnolia is 10-20 ft. instead of double or triple that.

If interested in trying this species look for it at flowering time, as there has been a problem in the past with poor forms with washed out looking stamens, leaves susceptible to spotting being on the market here. Another way to avoid this would be to buy a named selection such as 'Colossus' which is known to have desired characters (as I remember it I've looked at stock offered under this name at local independent garden centers in later years, seen that it had normally colored stamens).

I'd also check that the failing Apple Tree does not have Honey Fungus as this also attacks magnolias - as well as most other woody plants. Awhile back I had it take out a seed-raised Big-leaf Magnolia here, after I had grown it for some years, gotten it into the flowering stage. One year it didn't leaf out, could at that point be immediately seen to have Honey Fungus at the base.

Even if Armillaria is not seen on the Apple Tree at this time it would still be preferable to remove it - including the stump - before planting another tree nearby.

There ok with it being see through in the winter. Size wise they are looking for something in the 20 to 25 foot tall and 10 15 wide range. Is there a Maggie that fits that bill?

I'm not sure what killed the Apple, but it was likely 40 years old and had been pruned to have 3 major branches that came out just 3 feet off the ground. By the time it died each one was close 10 inches in diameter and last year lost one to storm damage.

'Rose Marie' is at local outlets at this time. It is described by Andrew Bunting in The Plant Lover's Guide to Magnolias (2016, Timber Press, Portland) as "relatively fast-growing", "20 feet tall", "10 feet wide", "pyramidal and columnar with a small stature". Of course, like all trees it's not going to grow to a specific, completely predictable size - and then freeze in place, yet remain healthy and attractive.

Magnolia 'Rose Marie'

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/3133/rose-marie-magnolia/

I've ordered some nice magnolias from Gossler nursery before (not sieboldii but looks like they have it).

https://secure.gosslerfarms.com

Origin of 'Victoria' is unknown, unless new information has come to light all statements about this subject are conjecture. With two recorded theories involving it having come from Britain. And since the name has been in use since the 1920s probably more than one cultivar has been circulated.

As this selection is not, in fact dwarf one Seattle specimen being grown under the name was 37 ft. tall in 1993. Another, near Portland was 10 ft. shorter the same year. It dated from a 1967 planting.

I have seen 'Little Gem' 41 ft. tall east of Los Angeles. One near a wall in Seattle was over 27 ft. high by 2004 or so. Many years ago I read the photo illustrated account of the original variant in the Magnolia Society bulletin. It was of interest for being narrow, almost columnar. Although often starting out bushy - probably due to location of source material on stock plants - clonal propagations planted in this area (there are many) can be seen morphing into the characteristic shape over time.

An evergreen magnolia sounds very interesting. While this site is Australian will these grow in the PNW? Would availability be an issue?

http://warners.com.au/our-plants/magnolias-michelias

Several of those shorter ones could also be used as screening along a fence.

https://www.urbanhabitatslandscape.com

In addition to Victoria and Little Gem, evergreen magnolias that grow in the PNW include DD Blanchard and Claudia Wanamaker. They are larger, but you shouldn't have any trouble finding them at garden outlets.

Michelia is essentially a semi-tropical plant and tricky to grow in our climate. M. figo is the most commonly found and generally considered the hardiest variety but can't recall seeing any in area nurseries recently.

Any Magnolia grandiflora cultivar can be grown in this area if a true zone 8. There are some very long established and big specimens in older Seattle neighborhoods, likely D.D. Banchard. Edith Bogue is also a popular choice.

Locally written articles featuring local specimens.

Plant of the Month: June 2002 Banana Shrub; Michelia Figo

http://www.arthurleej.com/p-o-m-Jun02.html
Plant of the Month: December 2009

Yellow Lily-Tree Magnolia Ernestii Figlar 2000

http://www.arthurleej.com/p-o-m-Dec09.html

See also under MAGNOLIA relatives on page 244 of his 2006 book Trees of Seattle - Second Edition where he gives brief species descriptions, locations and sizes of local examples listed under their previous names of Manglietia chingii, fordiana and insignis, Michelia doltsopa, figo, maudiae and wilsonii, and Parakmeria lotungensis.

If are actually interested in the comparatively small parted michelia types such as Magnolia figo for this project one of the upright growing, tree shaped named selections of M. laevifolia (Michelia yunnanensis, Magnolia dianica) such as 'Inspiration' that are currently present in the local marketplace (seen a few weeks ago at Swanson's, for instance, and more recently at Christianson's) could be the ticket.

>There are some very long established and big specimens in older Seattle neighborhoods, likely D.D. Banchard<

Blanchard ('D. D. Blanchard') wasn't noticed until the 1960s, with large scale production not being underway until 1980. The tallest Seattle example recognized and listed (with measurements) by Jacobson (same) was only 16 1/2 ft. tall at the time (likely 2004-5). Whereas he recorded nine other M. grandiflora there - some of them probably unnamed seedlings - 38 ft. to 46 1/2 ft. tall.

>Edith Bogue is also a popular choice<

I don't see that many of those here, and snow stripped all the side branches off a small one I had going in a sheltered nook on Camano Island. I would say by far of the more recently planted named forms 'Little Gem' was the most prevalent. Breakage under the weight of snow, foliage mildew and cold tenderness and all.

Jacobson (same, pages 231-2) includes Blanchard, 'Little Gem' ("Becoming very popular lately"), Majestic Beauty, Russet, Samuel Sommer, 'St. Mary' and 'Victoria'.

Most, if not effectively all of the M. grandiflora selections presented to us here these days are being trucked up from Monrovia. Of those they are offering at this time I like the 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' the best. It looks more like a normal tree than most M. grandiflora that I see here.

I tried a small Alta on Camano and it froze there. The real estate office at the Camano Plaza has had a 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' for at least several years in a windy position and it is still holding up.

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/search/?query=magnolia+grandiflora

Thanks Embothrium. They have a need for one larger tree to replace the apple, but for some time they've been looking for an evergreen option to plant along a back fence to screen an alley and some neighbors garages. Some of the 9 ft magnolias and or the michelia could work.

Few magnolias grow only 9 ft. tall. And those that might take some years to get this high are going to be shrubby kinds that don't have narrow, upright shapes. With their comparative shortness being a result of a spreading habit, in combination with slower growth - not a good combination where a quick 9 ft. screen is being aimed for. You might want to look instead at Fargesia bamboos for this use, unless the position is too hot for these in summer.

Particularly Osmanthus burkwoodii. Or if that is too rounded O. heterophyllus.

Escallonia x exoniensis 'Frades' is a good, fast, upright growing hedge.

As long as it stays above, say, 15 degrees F. Really none of them are wild about cold weather, it seems the most tolerant of those escallonias that have been prevalent on the regional market in the past was the semi-evergreen 'Donard Seedling'. It used to be sold incorrectly as 'Apple Blossom', formed a large arching mound in time - rather than a solid vertical wall. And appears to have effectively disappeared from local outlets anyway.

I forgot about this one, I remember Wells-Medina picked it up when it came out and maybe a few others here did also. Possibly they still have some, as I remember it the plants didn't fly out the door and at one point they had potted them on. Note two points, that Monrovia is indicating USDA 8 as the low end of the hardiness range and also that they are depicting it as upright growing, suitable for hedging.

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/2312/fairy-magnolia-blush/