Magnolia diseases: The most common and how to cure them

The magnolia is one of the most popular trees to have in the garden. It is not surprising, as it is famous for being very resistant and creating beautiful flowers. Nevertheless, there are some magnolia diseases that are quite frequent and that we should know about. Knowing in advance what can affect our tree, we will be able to prevent it or detect it in time to cure it.

In this article we will talk about the most common pests and diseases that can affect magnolia and how to treat them. If you have one of these trees or are thinking of acquiring one, I recommend that you continue reading. This information will be very useful to care for and maintain your magnolia correctly.

Magnolia Pests and Diseases

Generally, diseases of the magnolia tree They are quite common and not very dangerous. In any case, it does not hurt to know how to detect them and consequently cure them in a pertinent way. The magnolia is a tree that often impresses people around the world, as it is shown as a very resistant and strong plant. Therefore it is not surprising that it is a bit difficult to detect if you are suffering from any disease or not.

However, If we know the magnolia diseases well, it will be easier for us to identify them and thus cure the tree in time. In order to facilitate this task, we are going to talk below about the most common diseases and conditions of the imposing magnolia tree.

Cancer

One of the most common magnolia diseases is the so-called canker. This can become a potential hazard, at least on large trees, since it causes a ringing of the branches. How can we detect it? Well, the best way is to make regular reviews of the plant. If your magnolia tree suddenly has a dry branch, it is most likely canker. The sooner we detect it, the sooner we can prune that dry branch to help the tree. In addition, we should examine the magnolia tree thoroughly until we find the place where the bark began to peel off. Unusual knots may also appear.

Canker is a disease caused by a fungus that is usually part of the genera Colletotrichum, Gloeosporium or of the kind Coniothyrium fuckelii. It is much more common in warm and humid areas.

Mushrooms

Another pathology that usually affects the magnolia quite frequently is fungi. They are detected because They create spots on the leaves of the plant. These spots can have different shapes, sizes and colors. As for their location, they can be found both on the upper and lower sides of the leaves. It should be noted that fungi are not a serious disease and it is not essential to cure it, but it does not hurt either.

While it is true that the plant can be left as it is, it is best to clean and remove dead leaves for the well-being of the magnolia. It is also highly advisable to clean the leaves and young branches of the tree to prevent the magnolia from being affected by fungi. It is well known that prevention is better than cure. So good maintenance and cleaning are the key to taking good care of our magnolia and keeping it healthy and strong.

seaweed sheets

Like fungi, algal leaf disease also causes spots on tree leaves. However, these spots are usually very similar to each other, but different from the spots created by the other fungi. In the case of algae sheets, the spots are basically velvety areas whose color is reddish brown, both above and below, and with a hair-like structure. We can fight it by applying a fungicide on the damaged leaves. Although the plant may end up looking bad from this disease, it really is nothing serious.

Wood rot

One of the most fearsome magnolia diseases is wood rot, also known as brown rot. In this case We can only save the tree if we detect it quickly and prevent its advance. To detect it we must look at the appearance of slight wilting by the canopy of the plant or areas with leaks. Wood rot can appear inside or around the tree.

In addition, wood affected by rot It usually acquires some brownish-brown spots, hence its name. Its appearance is usually cubic and cracked due to drying. This disease also generates fruiting bodies very similar to scabs, fungi or shelves, whose texture is very woody and hard when ripe.

How to cure a magnolia?

If we suspect that our tree may be sick, it is best to try to cure it. For this, it is important that we bear in mind that magnolia diseases must be treated always taking into account the severity of the symptoms and the age of the tree. With all the information we have given so far, we should already be able to differentiate the pathologies that usually affect this plant.

We are going to make a brief summary below to know how to cure magnolia diseases:

• Cancer: If we want to cure a tree that has canker, the best thing we can do is prune the branch or the affected area and an extra two centimeters of tissue that is around it and does not show symptoms. In this way we prevent the canker from spreading to other parts of the plant. Being a fungus, fungicides can also be applied.
• Fungi: The best way is to prevent them through good cleaning and maintenance.
• Seaweed sheets: Apply a fungicide to affected leaves.
• Wood rot: We can only save the magnolia tree from this disease if we detect it in time. In this case, it is best to turn to a specialist to tell us what treatment to follow.

Hopefully we never see ourselves in a situation where our magnolia suffers from a disease, but if it does we should not worry too much. These diseases are not serious, but it is convenient to eliminate them if possible.