Magnolia Tree Care

There are certain characteristics of magnolia tree that make it an attractive option to be grown in home landscape. When we are talking of magnolia tree, the first thing that comes to our mind are the waxy, rich green leaves and the large white flowers with fresh citrus fragrance. This tree also provides us with a lot of shade in the summer. This large, bushy evergreen tree looks beautiful throughout the year even when it is shedding its flowers. There are almost 90 different magnolia tree varieties. Among them, there are two types of magnolia that are most popular in yard landscaping. One is the southern magnolia tree which is native to the United States and the other one is the Japanese magnolia which is an Asian variety. There are some differences in magnolia tree care of these two species which have been addressed in the following section.

How to Care for Magnolias

A few basic requirements of magnolia tree are the same for both varieties. They are adaptable to a large varieties of soil provided the soils have a good drainage and are slightly acidic in nature. Its ideal pH range should be around 6.1 to 7.5. Their light requirements is full sun to moderate shade and need average watering. Other special care that are needed are discussed below.

Southern Magnolia Tree Care

Make sure the spot where you are planting southern magnolia have enough surrounding space as the tree can grow up to a height of 50 feet. The best time for planting this tree is the end of summer. Dig a hole into the soil whose size should be twice as big as that of the tree bulb and place it into the hole. For the next one month, the bulb should be watered daily. After completion of one month, add fertilizer to the soil in order to promote growth of the tree. In the first three growing seasons, apply 8-10-10 fertilizer lightly to the soil once in a month to improve plant growth. Then reduce the frequency of fertilizing to once or twice in a year.

Pruning is done in order to create the cone shaped dome of magnolia by eliminating the side branches. There are a number of magnolia tree diseases that affect the leaves and branches of the tree. Therefore, pruning is also important to get rid of those diseased and damaged parts of the plant. Little Gem Magnolia is a variety of southern magnolia tree that grows slowly and reaches a height of 20 to 30 feet. One of the crucial aspect of little gem magnolia tree care is its pruning as wrong pruning can adversely affect the growth of the tree. Identify the discolored leaves of the tree and remove them. Cut all those tall branches that are located at the top of the tree. Trim stray branches that tend to ruin the compact shape of the tree. However, do not prune the Little Gem magnolia when it is blooming.

Japanese Magnolia Tree Care

Japanese magnolia tree care is easier because it is resistant towards many diseases and pests. The size of this tree is comparatively much smaller and it can reach up to a height of 15 foot. This tree bulb should be planted just before the arrival of winter season. For this reason, you have to provide adequate protection to the roots from freezing temperature. It can be done by adding a thick layer of mulch around the tree which can insulate the roots of the tree from cold weather condition. Normally, 2-inch layer of mulching is done but for Japanese magnolia, it should be 4-inch. This magnolia tree type does not require much water and once a week watering is enough. If you live in an area which receives good rainfall, then you do not have to water it at all. Once the root of the plant is properly established, fertilizer should be applied in the later part of the winter. Japanese magnolia does not require a very meticulous pruning and is done at the end of the blooming season. However, matured tree should not be pruned at all as it tend to make the tree prone to various diseases.

With this kind of magnolia tree care, your planted tree can thrive in different types of climates and soils. Once the tree is matured, it does not require any real maintenance. It can survive even in drought condition even if you do not give water to the tree. It develops a strong resistant towards most diseases too. So, sit back in your yard and enjoy the lovely scent of magnolia flowers and cool shades of magnolia tree in lazy summer afternoons!