The fallfruit will attract birds to your landscape.
Plant your magnolia tree in the ground in a hole at least as deep as its root ball.
Moist, well-drained soil is best, but this species can thrive in a variety of conditions.
The Spruce / K. Dave
These magnolias are often planted in rows to act as a privacy screen or to define property lines.
Once established, they can do well in a full sun position in moist, rich soils.
Ideally, your tree should receive at least four hours of unfiltered sunlight a day.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Soil
Southern magnolias do best in moist, well-drained, loamy, acidic, and fertile soils.
However, they can tolerate a wide range of conditions and pH levels.
Overly dry or prolonged waterlogged conditions and high alkalinity aren’t appreciated.
The Spruce / K. Dave
When first planted, the tree will need weekly watering to become established.
Once established, water frequency will depend on soil drainage and regional rainfall.
Too much or too little water can cause the tree’s leaves toturn yellow.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Mulching around the planting area is beneficialjust avoid allowing the mulch to touch the tree’s trunk.
Temperature and Humidity
Southern magnolias prefer temperate and humid semitropical climes.
Extremes of temperatures are not good, and even a light frost easily damages seedlings.
Do this before winterdormant magnolia branches don’t heal easily.
Propagating Magnolia Grandiflora
It is possible, but sometimes tricky, to propagate southern magnolia from cuttings.
However, if conditions are not right, problems are possible.
Leaf Spot
Certain fungi and bacterium can causeleaf spotsand blights.
These includeSeptoriaspp,Cladosporiumspp, andConiothyriumspp.
Although it can look unsightly, they don’t often cause any major damage.
Promptly clearing away infected fallen leaves can help to control the problem.
Dying Branches
Canker diseases andVerticillium wiltcan kill off branches.
Manage this by pruning out the problematic branches and ensuring the tree is healthy, well-nourished, and watered.
Depending on conditions, this species has a slow to medium growth rate.
Typical annual growth is from around 12 to 24 inches.
Part of the popularity of this species is that they are adaptable to a wide range of conditions.
Magnolias have a shallow but spreading root system and higher than average leaf drop.
This makes them a poor choice for yards with limited space.
