Saucer Magnolia Tree

Commonly called Tulip and Japanese magnolia tree, the saucer magnolia is a deciduous trees and they produce large goblet shaped flowers. The color of these flowers range from light to deep pink. It's due to the shape and size of the flowers that the tree gets its name. The size of the saucer magnolia tree flowers is usually about 5 inches in diameter which can go to more than 10 inches when fully bloomed. Besides the fragrant flowers, another attraction of the tree is its leaves which are dark green in color and are big and broad. An excellent option for landscaping, this tree has got a silvery gray bark.

Saucer Magnolia Tree Facts

Some interesting facts of the tree types include:

• It belongs to the family of Magnoliaceae, family of Magnolia and species Magnolia x soulangiana.
• The tree grows to a height of 20 to 30 feet when fully grown.
• When growing these flowering plants make sure you grow it with enough space around these trees (space should be at least 15 to 20 feet).
• It can grow well in sunny regions as well as shady areas.
• Besides pink, the flowers may be purple or white in color.
• The flowers start blooming in the middle of spring.
• The fragrant flowers make themselves attractive to bees and birds.
• The plant does not require too much watering, but just about enough water.
• The tree propagates both from stem cuttings as well as seeds. But if you are propagating it from seeds, make sure that you scarify the seeds before you sow them.
• The fleshy coating should be removed before you store the seeds.

Caring for Saucer Magnolia Tree

If you look at a saucer magnolia picture, you note that the tree grows in the form of a symmetrical crown. As such it needs enough sunshine and so you should plant it in such areas and is a thumb rule. It looks best when the branches are allowed to droop to the ground. When the tree is bare, especially in winters, the bark shows off nicely. The plant needs rich fertile soil which is well drained. Make sure that you plant the tree in an area which is not water clogged as it won't tolerate water for a very long time. Dry or alkaline soil is not well suited for the plant and can grow well in city areas. Its best to plant it in spring as it would get enough time to grow. As the plant grows old, make sure that you don't prune them too often as it may injure the plant. Moreover, wounds may not heal which may result in various infections thereby risking its overall health.

Pruning Saucer Magnolia Tree

Pruning Magnolia tree varieties can be a tough proposition as they are matted and thick at the center. The center should be kept open to give it a multi-stemmed effect. An important thing to remember here is that stems of multi-stemmed trees compete with each other and the weaker ones would die away. You need to ensure that you provide enough space for the limbs, leaves and flowers to grow. You need to remove all the deadwood, sprouts, crossing limbs and branches which grow towards the center. Pruning every year would give you the much desired effect and help the plant to grow well. While pruning, you need to cut off old branches first and then remove other branches and give it a proper shape. At times there may be unusual growth of some branches, and you need to cut them too so that the tree has a uniform look.

Thus, a saucer magnolia tree is an excellent option if you want to plant in your backyard. It does not require too much maintenance and is easy to grow. It's only when you plant it, you need to take care of the tree so that it does not grow haphazardly, but once it grows to a certain size, you can leave it as it is.