Genie is the result of extensive breeding work crossing Magnolia × soulangeana with M. liliiflora, and the flowers reflect that layered parentage: richly colored, goblet-shaped, and produced at a young age compared to most magnolias. Blooms appear in mid-spring on bare branches, the deep purple-red petals holding their color well before the tree leafs out. With consistent moisture it tends to flower for an extended period and carry its pleasant fragrance across a surprising distance.

At 10 to 13 feet with a narrow habit, Genie is genuinely suited to smaller gardens, courtyard plantings, or the middle of a mixed border where a larger tree would crowd. It grows in a wide range of soils but does best in moist, slightly acidic ground rich in organic matter. Plant it while dormant for best establishment, mulch the root zone well, and prune only in summer when in full leaf to maintain its tidy pyramidal shape.