Magnolia grandiflora
Some trees are grand and others have striking floral displays , but only a handful , like the southern magnolia , can do both .
southerly magnolias produce immense , discover flowers , and not just a few of them , but an teemingness ! The prime come out in the leaping and sometimes again in the summertime .
Plus , thesemagnolias are evergreen , which imply you do n’t have to stare at stark branches during the winter .
On top of that , southern magnolias are generally pest- and disease - liberal , originate to majestic heights – though you’re able to find poor cultivar – and they do n’t need much upkeep to uphold all this grandeur .
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The southern magnolia is the state tree of Mississippi , sometimes called the bull - bay , freehanded - Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel , large - flower , or evergreen magnolia , and can be train in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 10 .
As some of the common names signal , the leaves look fairly laurel - like , but they ’re much , much larger and often have attractive bronze - emblazon undersides .
You ’re probably already familiar with this North American indigen if you live in the South , but the trees can produce in a change of climates outdoors of their native range .
They ’re even democratic in fix with completely different climates to the humid warmth of the south , like England and the Pacific Northwest .
I have atulip poplarthat I ’m itching to tear out , and when I do , a southern magnolia is break down in its space .
I ca n’t wait to savor the year - round semblance and giant , waxy , fragrant flowers . Until then , I ’ll continue to marvel at the many specimens growing in my neighborhood .
Do you fancy one of your own , too ? We ’re give way to help make that bump by discussing the following :
What You’ll Learn
Cultivation and History
The southern magnolia is classified in theMagnoliagenus , which constitute about 240 species .
It ’s native to North America , where it grows in the southeasterly United States of Alabama , Florida , Georgia , Louisiana , Mississippi , North Carolina , and Texas .
It favors coastal plain , upland , and lowland areas , and does n’t develop above 500 feet in elevation in the wild , but is seen in cultivation at high altitudes .
It grows in areas that get at least 40 to 80 inches of rainwater per year with temperature between 15 and 90 ° F , in strong temperate or semi - tropical climate .
This specie generally develop to about 80 foot tall , though some specimens have achieved much greater heights .
There are a few in Florida measuring over 125 feet improbable . In cool climate , they tend to stay on much inadequate .
southerly magnolias be given to be somewhat fast growing , sum up to 18 column inch of height each class , and require up to 50 year to reach their matured tiptop .
They will start fruit and bloom much sooner , producing blossom when they are just three years older and typically fruit appear when they are 10 years old . The trees can subsist up to 120 yr .
Most have a pyramidal growth wont , but there are some cultivar with ellipse , round , or columnar conformation . The bark is smooth and gray , though sure-enough specimens take on a scaly grain .
The childlike , substitute farewell are elliptical or oval shape with solid ( entire ) margin .
The leaf are typically medium green and glossy on top , and chocolate-brown or rust fungus - bleached and matte with a faint blur underneath . They can progress to up to eight column inch long . The leaf does n’t change in the fall . Remember , this is an evergreen .
And then there are the flower . The huge , showy , discus - shaped blossoms can be up to 14 column inch across and are creamy - white with a waxy finishing and an intense lemon sweetness . When they ’re blossom , the whole yard will be perfumed .
These blossoms come along in the leaping and may sometimes reappear in the summer in small-scale numbers .
After the blossom fade , small fuzzy brownish yield cones break .
At maturity they are about five inch long and cover in smart blood-red drupes , which the boo make love . So do squirrel and other herbivore , especially when they accrue to the ground .
Southern magnolias are civilise around the globe and are popular in the UK , where they were preface in the early 1730s .
It ’s often blur with thesweetbay magnolia ( M. virginiana ) , but sweetbays are low in every way , from the foliage and flowers to the tiptop and trunk perimeter .
Southern Magnolia Propagation
southerly magnolias are one of the easiest species in the genus to propagate .
These trees can be grown from seed . However , the ensue tree could be very different from the parent in terms of size of it , shape , increment rate , and flowering , unless you ’ve oversee to secure seeds from a metal money tree and not a cultivar .
Ifgrowing magnolia from seedis something you ’re interested in , our guide has all the details . M. grandiflorais extremely easy to propagate by seed , so it ’s an excellent selection if you ’re considering this method .
From Cuttings
Unlike starting from seed , propagation via cutting will give you an exact knockoff of the parent plant .
hold back until the leaping , when fresh growth has started developing at the remnant of the stems , and take an eight - inch cutting using light , sharp trimming capacitor . Make the cut at a 45 - degree angle .
Remove all of the parting except for the top two . abridge these in half vertically to reduce the amount of tissue the cutting off has to endorse .
fill up a gallon - sized container with seed starting medium and poke a hole in the center .
Dip the end of the cut in fine-grained settle down internal secretion and do the cutting into the mess you made . The cut should be about two inch rich .
Soak the mass medium so it feels moist but not inebriate wet , like a well - wrung - out sponge , and place the pot outdoors in an area with dappled or fond sun .
Keep the soil moist as the cutting develop ascendent , which can take a calendar month or more . Eventually , you ’ll get to see new foliar increment develop .
So long as the weather is n’t too hot and teetotal , when you see the new growth you could put the industrial plant in the ground . However , I ’d urge keep the plant in the container until the observe bound or the espouse fall .
It ’s best to transplant before the raw specimen reaches four metrical foot tall . A peak between two and four feet is ideal .
Transplanting
It ’s best to graft southern magnolia saplings in the springtime rather than the spill . Many trees do well when plant in the fall , but magnolia , in world-wide , do well in the spring .
That say , if fall works better for you , they ’ll credibly be just fine . Southern magnolias are adaptable .
youthful southern magnolias have retentive taproots , so be careful not to disturb or break the solution . As the tree ages , the roots become more extended with lots of sidelong growth , rather than relying on the taproot .
These tree diagram are prostrate to girdling , which is when the root acquire in a R-2 around the trunk , either at or below the soil wrinkle . This can dissemble like a gradually tightening noose around the body , strangling the plant .
To help avoid this , be careful to spread out the roots when you transplant .
The ancestor grow extremely panoptic , so do n’t set the magnolia too close to things like build groundwork or a septic organization .
Assume that the roots will spring up four times as wide as the canopy width at maturity date . Plants should be 40 feet apart , not just to hold the root , but because the canopy can grow that wide .
clean your positioning cautiously because these full roots make it hard to transplant the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree if you need to move it by and by on .
Once you ’ve chosen your location , grind a hole large enough to accommodate the root system of your sapling .
set the works only so deep that you could see the beginning of the source solar flare , which should put the bottom of the trunk about two inches above the surrounding soil line .
Then , backfill with stain . Heap three inches ofbark or leaf mulchover the soil , but keep it away from the trunk .
If you invest the plant too deep in the filth , the roots will require to grow upwards and outwards rather than down .
For the first four years after planting , the magnolia will be establishing its root system , so keep the grime moist but not fuddled .
The mulch will assist retain moisture and cut back smoke competition . If any Mary Jane do superintend to poke through , pull them up promptly .
How to Grow Southern Magnolias
Southern magnolias flourish in full sun to fond ghost . When they ’re untested , they can permit nearly full shade , but as they suppurate , they want vivid sun .
Luckily , they tend to take care of that themselves by growing marvellous enough to get away the shade cast by little trees and shrub . If young specimens are produce in umbrageous condition , they might mature to have a shrubbier shape .
They prefer loamy , peaty soil , but a bit of the Great Compromiser or sand is all right , as well . The soil can be slightly alkaline , neutral , or acidic , but the ideal pH is slightly acidic , with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 .
The territory should be well - draining but capable to retain moisture as southerly magnolias need uniform moisture to grow well .
These tree can tolerate a bit of temporary drouth , but if you live in a hot part with dry summers , it ’s in all likelihood best to put your new magnolia in partial shade and heap dozens of mulch on top of the theme to help the grime continue nerveless and retain moisture .
They will also tolerate temporary sozzled soil in the case of seasonal flooding , but do n’t let it sit around too long , or it will make root putrefaction .
Once launch , you wo n’t need to sum up any wet unless you have an abnormally prolonged drouth . The exclusion is if you live in a desert climate , the tree will require irrigation . The filth should be irrigate once it ’s fully dry .
Be conservative when work around the base of the tree diagram . The bark is thin , so if you nick it with a shovel , trimmer , or cultivator , you could make the tree diagram vulnerable to pests and disease .
fecundate with an all - purpose food for thought once a yr in the outpouring for the first five yr . After that , the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree should be able-bodied to obtain the nutrients it needs from the dirt .
Down to Earth All Purpose Food
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
The lower branch of southern magnolias tend to twist to the point where they can intrude on dealings or even match the ground . Prune these off at the trunk .
You should also remove any branches that have a tight privates , which means two branches are growing close together at their al-Qaida . These are weak and tend to break . Remove the smaller of the two .
Pruning is best done in former wintertime or very early spring before the buds start to intumesce . Make certain the air temperature has been above 35 ° F for the preceding days so avoid pruning stock-still woodwind instrument .
Otherwise , there is n’t any further work required . Southern magnolias are truly crushed - maintenance .
The biggest challenge will be riff clean - up . Each leaf survive about two year and then it drops from the tree . Since each one can be eight inches long , it only takes a few to create a big mess .
And somehow , they can travel . My neighbor ’s southern magnolia on a regular basis sends leaves into my M . That might not seem surprising , but this neighbor happens to be two theatre away from me !
Southern Magnolia Cultivars to Select
Southern magnolias are beautiful Tree , and plant breeders have developed a phone number of different cultivars .
Southern Magnolia
If you want to grow the coinage tree , you’re able to cull one upat Nature Hills Nursery .
Here ’s a selection of some standout cultivars :
Bracken’s Brown Beauty
‘ Bracken ’s Brown Beauty ’ is a taste to say and a marvel to grow because it can make it in clime much colder than the mintage or most other cultivars .
It ’s tough enough to survive as far compass north as Zone 5 , though it might drop its leaves in moth-eaten domain during the wintertime .
It also detain thickset , grow to just 30 to 50 foot or so magniloquent , and is wide regarded as being the fastest - growing southern magnolia out there , putting on two foot of increase per yr .
‘ Bracken ’s Brown Beauty ’
It has a obtuse , pyramid shape with a rough-textured coming into court thanks to the big , leathery fleeceable leaves with distinctly brown undersides .
Nature Hills carriesthis popular tree in # 2 , # 3 , and # 7 container .
D.D. Blanchard
‘ D.D. Blanchard ’ has monumental eight - inch blossoms , but what sets it apart from the species tree is the leaf .
The leaves are with child , deep , and obscure green , which is strange for the mintage , with a rusty dark-brown chromaticity on the undersurface . It adjudge its foliage upright so you may plainly see the contrasting undersurface .
‘ D.D. Blanchard ’
The tree diagram reach about 50 foot in altitude with a pyramidic , open condition and a strong central drawing card .
snaffle yoursfrom Nature Hills Nurseryin # 3 and # 7 containers .
Edith Bogue
Beautiful ‘ Edith Bogue ’ is fearless down to Zone 5 . Though the tree might drop some of its leaf in the wintertime , it will survive without any fuss or superfluous care .
The massive blossoms are the size of it of dinner plates at a foot in diam , on a tree that can rise up to 60 substructure grandiloquent .
It ’s evenhandedly narrow , however , reaching just 30 pes wide , so it can fit into a relatively small area .
‘ Edith Bogue ’
If you ’d wish to tempt ‘ Edith Bogue ’ to your garden , visit riotous Growing Treesto bestow home a three- to four- or four- to five - foot - tall tree .
Goliath
Aptly list , ‘ Goliath ’ sports giant , 12 - in - wide-cut blossom , that persist on the tree for a long , long fourth dimension .
The Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree has a dense , rounded maturation substance abuse made up of green folio with carmine - brownish undersides .
This cultivar does n’t live up to its cognomen when it comes to top , though . It ’s on the smaller side , grow to about 50 infantry tall . It ’s fast to start bloom .
Kay Parris
A potential cross between ‘ Little Gem ’ and ‘ Bracken ’s Brown Beauty , ’ the magnificent ‘ Kay Parris ’ was introduce by Gilbert ’s Nursery in South Carolina in the early nineties .
It was named for Katherine Killingsworth Parris , the female parent of Kevin Parris at Gilbert ’s Nursery .
Noted magnolia experts declared the young plant to be intend to be one of the top magnolia . This has prove to be unfeigned , and the cultivar can be found in garden across the globe .
It also have the Royal Horticultural Society ’s Award of Garden Merit .
‘ Kay Parris ’
It produces an abundance of ten - inch flower on a 20 - foot Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that has a dense , pyramidal shape . Unlike other cultivar , it will faithfully grow snow - white blossoms throughout the summer .
If you ’re looking for a southern magnolia , you ca n’t go amiss with this one . Pick one upat Nature Hills Nursery .
Green Giant
The “ giant ” in ‘ Green Giant ’ refer to the absolutely monolithic leave-taking , which are eight column inch or more in length .
They ’re utter green on the top and hoary on the undersides and emerge from the tree as golden yellow .
The flowers are ten inches in diameter on a tree diagram that maturate to about 60 feet magniloquent .
‘ Green Giant ’
This tree is n’t for those in cool climates . It ’s only hardy in Zones 7 to10 . But if you live in one of these zone , the pyramidical physique , showy foliage , and immense flowers are a delicacy .
you may pick one up at Nature Hills Nursery .
Little Gem
If the thought of a grand magnolia appeals to you , but you do n’t have that much room to part with in your garden , regard ‘ Little jewel . ’ It ’s a dwarf cultivar that only reaches up to 20 feet grandiloquent .
This little beauty was brought to us from the mind at Monrovia Nursery and has a stocky , pyramidal figure that works well as a specimen , windbreak , or screen .
‘ Little treasure ’
Because it has a narrow maturation riding habit , you’re able to thoughtfully grow other species around it without totally shade them out .
you’re able to find ‘ Little Gem’available at Fast Growing Trees .
Managing Pests and Disease
squirrel love the prime buds , and birds eat the berry , but herbivores are n’t otherwise concerned in this tree . Thank good . You do n’t have to worry about deer gnawing it down to a marrow .
Insects
As mentioned , this tree is relatively tolerant to pesterer and disease . There are just a few insects that can be a problem .
Magnolia borers ( Euzophera magnolialis ) , etymon choker borers ( E. ostricolorella ) , and black sprig borers ( Xylosandrus compactus ) all target magnolias , particularly trees that are stressed by drought or soggy soil .
Magnolia borer feed only on southern magnolias and are only found in the South .
The first two woodborer advert are brown moths and the shameful twig stone drill is a mallet , but it ’s not the grownup that you have to concern about . It ’s the larva that cause problems .
The larvae tunnel into the twigs and branches , bring on cankers , frass , and rotund entry or exit holes . As the tree suffer , it takes on a generally unwell appearance .
All three are opportunistic and typically attack trees that are already emphasize or sick . If you heal the original trouble , they will often channelize to greener ( erm , browner ? ) pastures .
However , black branchlet stone drill can introduceFusarium solani , a nasty infection which causes twig death and can even kill small Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
Prune invade twigs and spray your tree on a regular basis with a mathematical product containingBacillus thuringiensis v. kurstaki(Btk ) starting as soon as you detect symptoms or after the last anticipate frost date . reiterate every week through the summer .
Bonide Thuricide
you’re able to pick up Bonide ’s Thuricide , which contain Btk , at places likeArbico Organics . They have dry quart or gallon ready - to - use or eight or 16 - snow leopard concentrate .
Magnolia scurf ( Neolecanium cornuparvum ) is a subdued - scaled insect that does n’t hang out in one spot like your distinctive graduated table species .
It ’s extremely peregrine , crawling up and down the tree diagram front for the full blot to give on the blackjack using their sucking mouthpart .
They ’re also one of the largest character of scale leaf insects in North America at half an column inch in length . They have a protective waxy coat over their pinkish - brown bodies .
As you could reckon , sacrifice their size of it , a large infestation of these insects can stimulate serious harm . They can weaken a tree enough to kill it .
Plus the honeydew melon they secreteattracts sooty moldand make an sinful mess under the tree . Woe be to anyone who parks their car under a magnolia infested with scale – I say this from experience .
The honest intelligence is that southern magnolia are n’t their preferred source . They ’ll generally germinate forstar ( M. stellata)andcucumber magnolias ( M. acuminata)first .
Natural predators should keep scale population in check , but if you spray insecticides in your garden , it ’s potential that universe of predators like lady beetle and lacewings have been reduce .
In that eccentric , stop spraying , if you could , and bring in these beneficial insects into your garden .
ladybird beetle are suffer due to their popularity for release into the garden and hazardous population are under threat .
That ’s why it ’s critical that you essay your good to make your garden a place where they can prosper .
That means limit pesticide role , grow a variety show of species but especially indigen , and planting specie that they love , likealyssum .
you’re able to also buy insects like lacewings to issue into your garden .
Green Lacewing
In this case , you could start with the larvae or purchase adults , whichArbico Organics carriesin 100 , 250 , 500 , or 1,000 counts .
you could learn more about how to deal with scale in our guide .
Disease
If I could wave my magic wand and get free of one flora disease , it would probably be verticillium wilt disease .
This disease attacks many , many coinage and can kill a vast , fledged tree or dear shrub that has been around for tenner in just one season . Plus , there is no cure . Sadly , southern magnolias are susceptible .
Leaf scorch , heavy seeding , and branch death are all vulgar signs . If you cut off a limb and strip the barque , you could see dark-brown streaks or brown sapwood .
If your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is infect , there ’s nothing you could do but polish off it . And , because the pathogen lives in the soil for years , you ca n’t embed anything there that ’s susceptible to the disease for at least ten days .
Ginkgo , juniper , spruce , pine , sequoia , birch , dogwood , hawthorn , Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya , mulberry , oak tree , andwillowtrees are all tolerant options .
Learn diseases that bear upon magnolias in our guide .
Best Uses for Southern Magnolias
As a shade Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , there are few rivals . The southerly magnolia works in domicile gardens , commercial areas , and car park .
Just keep in nous that nothing but consummate spectre devotee will grow underneath them . Do n’t plan to have a nice lawn area under your tree .
Hostas ( Hostaspp . ) , English ivy ( Hedera helix),ferns , barrenwort ( Epimediumspp . ) , deadnettle ( Lamiumspp . ) , sweet waldmeister ( genus Galium odoratum ) , and genus Vinca ( Vinca major ) are run to be your best friends .
The trees can be imbed streetside since they stand pollution , though they will probably ask crop to keep those gloomy branches from blocking traffic or parking areas .
If you choose one of the columnar cultivar , you may use them as a CRT screen or a windbreak .
They also work on well for espalier and smaller cultivar can be develop in container .
Keep in mind that the trees continually drop old leaves as novel I replace them .
That means there will be foliage bedding under the tree reasonably on a regular basis . You might not desire to plant yours next to a terrace if you do n’t care to do regular cleaning .
you could sure enough cut the flowers and practice them in arrangements , but do n’t forget the foliation . It makes a beautiful add-on to an system , and it ’s useable all yr round .
Salt does n’t unsettle these Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , so coastal gardeners can enjoy their refined performance .
They will tolerate area with exhaust defilement so you may produce them in urban or suburban areas . Just call back , they have extensive roots and can annul sidewalks or driveway .
They also survive hurricanes comparatively entire , with perhaps some ramification expiration , but they tend not to topple over . Thanks to their year - orotund , dense foliage , as a nicety tree , they can aid reduce the cost of cool down your home .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Elegant Year-Round Interest
Southern magnolias really are the trees that can do it all .
They ’re obviously beautiful , but it ’s arduous to regain a tree that combines elegance with toughness , adaptability , low care requirement , and disease resistance , that still provide twelvemonth - round involvement .
And formore information about growing magnoliasin your garden , check out these scout next :
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Kristine Lofgren
