Michelia champaca is a relative of the Magnolia and native to China. When in flower they are often mistaken for magnolias, except that they bear their flowers among the leaves rather than singly at the branch ends. The flowers are fragrant and quite attractive. M. champaca 'alba' has white flowers, most often in winter, but sometimes in summer, and their perfume is legendary. Your plant will be a large shrub or small tree. If you're keeping it in a container, use a good grade of commercial potting soil rather than garden soil. Repot into a slightly larger container as the rootmass becomes crowded in the pot. M. champaca requires semi-moist soil so water as often as necessary to keep the soil from drying out too much. Provide full sun to part afternoon shade, and fertilize during the growing season with a diluted liquid fertilizer. I simplify fertilizing my containerized plants by diluting liquid fertilizer to 1/4 strength and applying every time I water, beginning in early spring through the end of August.
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