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Planting, Growing, and Pruning Magnolias
Planting
When to Plant Magnolias
Magnolias can be planted in spring or fall. If planting in autumn, get the tree in the ground 4-6 weeks before the first frost to allow time to grow new roots. Bare root stock received in spring should be planted as soon as received.
Where to Plant Magnolias
While specific cultivar needs may vary, most members of the Magnolia genus prefer full sun to light shade and, in hotter climates, need protection from the intense afternoon sun. Their branches can be brittle, so pick a site protected from the wind.
Magnolias grow large, thick, shallow root systems and should be kept away from building foundations or sidewalks. Check the tag and visualize the mature size of the tree or shrub. Some magnolias are enormous, while others are small enough to grow in containers.
When planting, select a site with the following:
- Full to partial sun. Choose a site with morning and midday sun but afternoon shade in hotter climates.
- Moist but well-drained sites are best. Very dry or wet sites are not suitable.
- Acidic soil, pH 5.5-6.5, is best.
How to Plant Magnolias
Planting magnolias is easy, and the same methods are used for planting other nursery stock.
- Remove all sod from an area twice as large as the hole you will dig.
- Dig a hole the same depth as the root ball and at least twice as wide. The hole should look like a shallow bowl, not a coffee can.
- Loosen the soil on the sides and bottom of the hole. A hard, compact edge or bottom is difficult for roots to penetrate (and for water to drain).
- Remove the magnolia from its container and prune any circling or girdling roots. Rootbound plants will benefit from scoring of the root ball to stimulate new growth in outward directions. Remember to remove the wire basket if your tree was balled and burlapped.
- Place and test fit the magnolia in the hole. Check for depth and ensure no roots are bent over or circling the hole. The top of the rootball should be level with the soil surface. Enlarge the hole if necessary. For grafted magnolias, ensure the graft union is above the soil level after planting.
- Backfill the hole with the soil you removed, ensuring the tree is kept vertical while filling. Stop when the hole is about halfway refilled and tamp the soil firmly around the roots to remove air pockets, then give it a good drink of water (but don’t flood the hole). Continue filling the soil around the roots and firming it with your hands. Water again when complete.
- Spread mulch around the tree, about 3 to 4 inches thick. Spread the mulch evenly in a circle extending 2-3 feet from the trunk. Don’t let the mulch touch the trunk–keep a few inches of separation. The final mulch job should look like a flattened donut, not a volcano.
Wit and Wisdom
- Magnolias were around before bees evolved and were pollinated by beetles.
- Magnolia roots may extend up to three times as far from the tree as the branches. Take care when applying pesticides to lawns or weed killers nearby.
- Many magnolias dump their huge leaves in spring, and the fruits can also make quite a bit of litter. Grass often struggles under magnolias, so consider planting in a spot where their litter won’t cause a problem.
- Magnolias are the state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) fruits. Credit: Tamu1500
Andy Wilcox
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Or, if you live in the South, just trek into the woods or along the verges of overgrown pastures. Take your shovel and take your pick of small magnolia trees. Transplanting in moderate weather is almost always successful, even being only somewhat careful. Encountering a day with "moderate" weather may be harder than finding a young magnolia tree.
I have what used to be a yellow magnolia and the flowers were yellow every spring for 3 yrs. until one day the brake on our tractor failed after my husband got off. It rolled down the hill and right over my magnolia and cut it off at ground level. The tree came back but the flowers are white. How can I get them to go back to yellow? They were so pretty and the white flowers just aren't my favorite.
Dear Terri,
First of all, it sounds like good news that the only thing that got hurt was the magnolia tree.
Yellow magnolias are a hybrid created by grafting on another rootstock or “scion.” When your tree was sheered by the tractor, the hybrid potion of the tree was destroyed, but the scion remained, and that’s what grew. The simple answer to your question is that to enjoy yellow magnolia flowers, you’ll need to plant another hybrid; there are many to choose from.
Thanks to our friends at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden for confirming our answer on this one: they are known for creating the yellow magnolia hybrids beginning in the 1950s; below is link to information about the garden’s magnolia hybrid breeding programs: https://www.bbg.org/article/eight_magnolia_hybrids_bred_by_brooklyn_botanic_garden
—The Editors
I have what used to be a yellow magnolia and the flowers were yellow every spring for 3 yrs. until one day the brake on our tractor failed after my husband got off. It rolled down the hill and right over my magnolia and cut it off at ground level. The tree came back but the flowers are white. How can I get them to go back to yellow? They were so pretty and the white flowers just aren't my favorite.
I didn't know they produced fruit. What can you do with it? Haven't smelled them either.
There is this one big, old magnolia in our neighborhood. It has the best-smelling flowers of any tree. I have tried repeatedly to get cuttings or seeds from it to grow without success. I'm going to try again with the stronger magnolia rooting powder. It's the principal of the thing now!
It its beyond me how a tree variety this old could be such a finicky propagator!!!!!! I'm fit to be tied!
We have a large magnolia tree by our master bedroom window. Just a beautiful tree! Gorgeous!
