Magnolia grandiflora or magnolia: characteristics, care and much more

The magnolia grandiflora it is a breathtakingly beautiful tree. Known as magnolia, it has long leaves of a beautiful dark color, and white flowers so decorative that when the tree blooms it creates such a beautiful sight that you want to take not one, but many photos.

It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, since it also produces a good shade during the summer, which is ideal to protect itself from the star king during those days.

Features magnolia grandiflora

Our protagonist is an evergreen tree (that is, that remains evergreen) native to the southeastern United States, from North Carolina to Texas and Florida. Its scientific name is magnolia grandifloraand their common names are common magnolia, magnolia or magnolia. It belongs to the botanical family Mangoliaceae.

Its growth rate is rather slow, and it may take 4-5 years to reach one meter. Once it reaches adulthood, it can exceed 35 meters. The leaves are long, up to 20 centimeters in length, simple, ovate, dark green in color and leathery in texture.

What is the magnolia flower like?

In spring, it produces fragrant white flowers that grow to a diameter of 30 inches.. They are composed of 3 sepals and between 6 and 12 oval petals, in addition to numerous stamens. Therefore, they are hermaphrodites, so they do not depend on pollinating animals to produce fruit.

When the egg is fertilized, begins to mature into an infrutescence that is conical in shape and inside which we will find the seeds, which are elongated in red. But for this to happen, the magnolia tree must reach a certain maturity, since it normally takes about 10 years -from the seed germinates- until it produces its own; and even so, it will take another 15 years until it gives the highest number of seeds.

A “problem” or drawback with the magnolia tree is that, although its viability period is quite long (we speak of years if it is kept in a protected place), only 50% of all those produced will germinate.

What is the difference between magnolia and magnolia?

Both terms are used to talk about the same tree. But it is important to take into account that Magnolia, with the »m» in capital letters, it refers to the botanical genus to which it belongs; Y magnolia is one of the common namesalong with magnolia with the lowercase “m”.

What is the care of the magnolia tree?

If you want to have one or more specimens in your garden, follow our advice:

Location

The magnolia tree supports direct sun if the climate is mild and humid. Therefore, if these conditions are met in the place where you live, you can expose it to direct sun as long as you acclimatize it before since otherwise it would burn.

If in your area the degree of insolation is very high in summer, as it happens in the Mediterranean for example, it is better to be in semi-shade or even in an area where filtered light gives it, through a shading mesh (for sale here!) or similar.

Land

So that I can grow well it is important that the soil has a slightly acidic pH, between 5 and 6,5. In limestone soils it has many problems to develop properly due to the lack of iron.

Irrigation and humidity

Now magnolia grandiflora he likes a cool and humid environment. It needs regular waterings, every 2-3 days in summer and every 3-4 days the rest of the year. If you live in an area where it usually rains regularly, your tree is sure to be beautiful.

If the environment is very dry, do not hesitate to spray its leaves daily. And that is how you will prevent them from losing too much water, and consequently, from turning brown. This is a tree whose foliage quickly loses color when conditions are not right, but that is an easily avoidable problem.

Irrigation water has to be rainy or acidic. If you do not have how to get it, it will be enough to add 1 liter of water and dilute the liquid of a lemon or a few drops of vinegar in it. The amount will vary depending on the pH of that water, something that can be measured with a digital pH meter (for sale here!) for example. It must not be very low; with it being around 4-6 will be enough.

Subscriber

During spring and summer it must be paid using Organic fertilizers or with fertilizers for acidophilic plants (on sale here!) that you will find in nurseries and garden stores. If you opt for the latter, it is important that you follow the instructions specified on the package to avoid the risk of overdose.

Pruning

It’s not necesary. It will be enough to remove the dry, weak or diseased branches. If pruned, it would take away the natural beauty of the magnolia tree, as this is a tree that acquires its rounded crown on its own.

And in any case, if you are going to prune it, do it in late winter and with suitable pruning tools. In this case, it would be anvil scissors for young branches less than 1 centimeter; and hand saw (for sale here!) for semi-woody or woody branches 2 cm or more thick.

Pests

Does not usually have. Maybe some cottony mealybug or some aphids if the environment is very dry, but nothing serious. They can be fought with diatomaceous earth (for sale here!) no problem.

Magnolia diseases

The magnolia tree can have several diseases throughout its life, and they are:

• Chancre: it is a disease transmitted by fungi that mainly affects large specimens. If we see that one branch suddenly dries up, and the rest look good, we will remove it. But we also have to see if the bark comes off, or if the branches have knots or abnormal lumps. It is treated with fungicide (for sale here!).
• Wood rot– Occurs when the inner bark rots, leading to wilting of the leaves. It is also treated with fungicides.
• Fungal spots: they can be orange or grayish spots, with a variable size and shape. It is best to prune the affected parts and treat with a multipurpose fungicide (for sale here!).
• Algae leaf spot: they are gray, brown, orange or green spots, generally rounded in shape but can extend on one side of the leaf or throughout the blade. It is treated by removing the affected parts, and keeping the magnolia tree healthy.

It can also have brown leaves, due to, for example, excessive watering, or too direct sun exposure.

Magnolia Multiplication

The magnolia grandiflora It can be multiplied by all methods: seeds, cuttings, grafts and layering. Let’s see how to proceed in each case:

Seeds

The seeds they have to be collected in autumnas soon as the fruit ripens. If there are no specimens nearby, they must also be acquired during the fall (October / November in the Northern Hemisphere).

Once cleaned, they can be planted directly in pots with universal growing substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts, or they can be stratified in the fridge for three months at around 4ºC in a tupperware with vermiculite.

Cuttings

The cutting or staking method is complicated in the magnolia tree, but it is the one that is used the most. It is done like this:

1. To multiply the Magnolia by cuttings, take the semi-woody stems that look healthier and stronger at the end of spring.
2. Afterwards, the bases of the cuttings are impregnated with rooting hormones (such as these).
3. They are then planted in pots with equal parts mixed with acidic plant substrate and perlite.
4. Then, heat is put in the background and they are sprayed regularly.

Grafts

The grafting method is used to obtain specimens that grow faster or to obtain new varieties. It is done in the following way:

1. At the beginning of spring the plants obtained from seeds of magnolia kobus o pointed magnolia that will serve as rootstocks.
2. At the end of the summer, you can proceed to graft the M.grandifloramaking a side graft.
3. After joining with raffia tape or grafting, they are placed in seed boxes for about 10 days for the joint to heal.
4. At six weeks they will be ready.

Layered

The simple layering method can be done successfully in early spring, using young branches of 1 to 2 years. For it, to do is the following:

1. The first thing is to select a branch and make a bark ring.
2. Then it is moistened with water and infused with rooting hormones.
3. Next, take a piece of black plastic, cover the branch and hold it on one side.
4. Afterwards, it is filled with brown peat previously moistened in water, and the other side is clamped.
5. Finally, it will be necessary to moisten the peat with a syringe filled with water from time to time.

Rusticity

It supports well frosts down to -18ºCbut temperatures over 30ºC can seriously affect you.

Can you have a potted magnolia tree?

Well, it is not recommended, since it is a tree that grows very large. Remember that it can exceed 30 meters in height. But if we take into account that it grows slowly, it will be possible to grow it in a pot for many years. To do this, what we must do is provide the following care:

• Location: we will put it outside, in semi-shade.
• Substratum: it is important to use substrate for acidic plants or coconut fiber (for sale here!) so you don’t have problems.
• Irrigation: we will water several times a week in summer, and once or twice a week the rest of the year. The water must be rainy or with a low pH, between 4 and 6.
• Subscriber: in spring and summer it must be fertilized with a liquid fertilizer for acid plants following the manufacturer’s instructions. In the event that you want to use natural fertilizers, the guano will be fine.
• Transplant: every 3 or 4 years we will have to plant our magnolia tree in a larger pot. This pot should be about 10 centimeters wider and taller than the »old one».

Uses of magnolia grandiflora

This is a tree that is used mainly as a garden plant, but Did you know that it also has medicinal properties? It is used to relieve and treat diseases of the digestive system, to reduce stress and anxiety, and also for respiratory problems such as asthma or bronchitis.

What is the most common color of magnolia?

White. Many of the magnolia species, including our protagonist, have white flowers, although there are exceptions, such as the magnolia soulangeanwhich has roses.

Where to buy a magnolia tree?

You can buy a magnolia tree here!.

What did you think of this tree?