How to Prune a Magnolia Tree Magnolias are a beautiful flowering tree native to North America and found most commonly in the southern United States. She has also published in hobbyist offerings such as The Hobstarand The Bagpiper. Magnolia trees and the South go together like cookies and milk. In addition, storm-damaged branches should always be removed for the health of the tree. Australis, The London Telegraph: How To Prune Magnolia Trees. The best time to prune evergreens is from late winter to early spring, well before any new … Remember to always cut branches off just outside of a branch collar, never remove more than one-third of the tree each season, and avoid pruning a mature magnolia unless absolutely necessary. Although some types of magnolia are deciduous, other species are evergreen, retaining their dark green foliage throughout the year. There are two types of magnolias – evergreen (or southern) and deciduous, with the difference being that evergreen … Diseases can easily spread to other parts if not well taken care of. Evergreen Types. Pruning the magnolias however was not going to give a good outcome for the homeowners, the view or the tree. It is suitable for U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. Shorten long, young branches and remove lower boughs if you desire a bare stem. Not all species are suited for all zones, but most magnolias are fairly adaptable and will thrive in warm to temperate regions. If overgrown magnolias need rejuvenation, midsummer is the best time for major pruning for deciduous and evergreen trees. When pruning a magnolia, it is advisable to begin by removing any dead, broken or sickly limbs from the tree, not just for aesthetic purposes but to improve overall health and well-being. With some exceptions, pruning really is not widely considered a must (or even desirable) for this popular flowering tree. When to prune a magnolia Your magnolia will require very little pruning. Evergreen magnolias afford the pleasure of enjoying a leafy tree year round. Do Magnolia Trees Bloom and Turn Brown in Winter? With any magnolia, it is better to aim on the side of pruning too little than too much. Prune southern magnolia in the off-season, when it is not blooming. Some evergreen magnolias are trained to a wall and should be pruned in the summer. Prune the tree when it is dry outside to … Use pruning shears on the thinnest of branches and graduate up to a pruning saw or chain saw for thick limbs. Evergreen magnolias are generally large trees that naturally develop a pyramidal or slightly rounded crown. The lustrous green leaves are a standout feature with light green, silver or reddish fuzzy undersides. Use pruning shears or loppers to remove lower branches. Her work has appeared in health, medical and scientific publications such as Endocrinology and Journal of Cell Biology. Be very careful when pruning magnolia trees not to tear or injure the bark. Like any tree or plant, diseased, dying, or dead branches call for pruning. The sweet bay magnolia can tolerate extremely wet, boggy locations, making it a good choice near ponds or streams. How To Prune A Magnolia Tree Southern Magnolias do not require pruning except to remove a damaged or broken branch, or a stray branch that is spoiling the form of the tree. Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) doesn’t bloom until the summer. Knowing when to prune magnolia trees is important. When to Prune Evergreen Magnolias? For one thing, magnolia trees do not heal as well as most trees from pruning cuts (which can lead to the introduction of diseases), and, for another, you can easily spoil the looks of a magnolia tree by getting carried away in pruning it. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Practicing Safe Pruning 1. To preserve flowering the next year from these branches, you can delay cutting them back until the following spring or summer. Evergreen. Two different types of evergreen magnolias are generally cultivated in the U.S. There are over 80 species of magnolias. The biggest reason people prune … Joanne Marie began writing professionally in 1981. Magnolias can be evergreen or deciduous and can bloom in early spring or in summer. If you plant your magnolia tree in a container that is 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep, the tree … © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. When should you prune evergreen trees? But if you still decide to prune, consider this advice: Magnolia grandiflora is commonly called southern magnolia, although it grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. Light trimming a magnolia tree is always preferable. Remove branches that are crossing or rubbing and cut off any suckers. Before deciding whether to prune a branch, examine its surface carefully, looking for new flower buds, which are larger than vegetative buds. Evergreens seldom need pruning… There are about 125 species of magnolia which may be evergreen, deciduous or even semi-evergreen. When a magnolia is pruned it loses its naturally rounded shape. The pot should be about 10 times the size of the trun expected at maturity. … The more common of the... Pruning Time. Remove any branches that are not in line with the tree’s natural shape. Knowing when to prune magnolia trees is important. Ensure deciduous magnolia tree pruning is done only between summer and early autumn. Hard pruning is tolerated when renovation or … Many Magnolias flower on the tips of lateral … Little Gem Magnolia pruning advice for maintaining and caring for your magnolia presented by www.jindabynenursery.com.au. The time of year that the pruning is performed is important. Some species are native to the United States while others are native to the West Indies, Mexico and Central America. Magnolia trees (Magnolia sp.) Also, be sure to stand back and assess your work each time you make a cut. Once you’re ready for pruning, it’s a good idea to understand how to trim magnolia trees. When to Prune Evergreen Trees. Another multi-stemmed magnolia that will need pruning guidance as a young tree, it’s the exception to the usual pruning time rule for magnolias… Prune at Planting Time. We generally leave a deciduous Magnolia alone, leave it like it is unless we have to prune it or we want a particular shape such as giving a Star Magnolia a nice, round headed shape but that takes a while longer to accomplish than dealing with an evergreen Magnolia. Over pruning, even on a young tree, can cause stress. Young evergreen magnolias are best trimmed in mid to late spring only when needed. Sign up for our newsletter. As such, young evergreen magnolias can … Evergreen types … pruning when they are older with intermittent shaping about once every year or two. Scheduling pruning at the proper time is important to preserve full flower production by magnolias… are renowned for their large, upright white flowers that are set against elongate, glossy green leaves. Marie is a certified master gardener and has a Ph.D. in anatomy from Temple University School of Medicine. Gloves will protect your hands from splinters and cuts while the... 2. After this, limbs may … Prune tree … Pruning a Magnolia Tree. 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If given enough space at planting to accommodate their size, these trees rarely need major pruning. Evergreen trees. Young deciduous magnolias rarely require pruning apart from removing weak or damaged branches or long vertical shoots. Pruning … Flowers can be pruned off as they finish, although this becomes impractical as the tree ages. Wear protective gloves and goggles while you prune. Both sweet bay and southern magnolias make excellent specimen plants in a home landscape. Another evergreen, the sweet bay magnolia (M. virginiana), is smaller, growing to a height of 35 feet with an equal spread. Some evergreen magnolias are trained to a wall and should be pruned in the summer. Knowing how and when to prune these lovely trees can help ensure success in keeping them healthy and blooming. It is best suited for USDA zones 5 through 10. However, cutting back protruding twigs or branches or shortening lengthy branches on a young tree to encourage bushier growth can generally improve the shape of a tree. Young trees need no pruning other than shortening of lengthy, young branches and removal of lower boughs, where a bare stem is desired. Pines should be … Shorten long, young branches and remove lower boughs if you desire a bare stem. Evergreen magnolias. That said, they can be pruned to form a more dense tree … Since magnolia flowers tend to brown and stay on the tree for some time, you could also improve the tree's appearance by cutting these spent flowers off at the branch tips. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Similarly, healthy trees will generally tolerate minor pruning in the summer months, for example, corrective pruning to raise hanging branches, or removing weak growth, which can be easier to assess in full leaf. Remove all dead, diseased or otherwise injured branches first. They do best in moist organic soil, thrive in full sun or partial shade and have no significant pest or disease problems. The pot size will restrict the growth of the tree. Among southern magnolia cultivars, "Bracken's Brown Beauty" and "Edith Bogue" are also quite hardy and smaller than the native tree, reaching a height of only about 30 feet at maturity. Deciduous magnolias should be pruned between midsummer and early fall. Two different types of evergreen magnolias are generally cultivated in the U.S. Therefore, magnolia tree pruning on older specimens should only be done as a last resort when necessary. Trimming a magnolia tree when it is young will also improve the health of the tree and encourage more blooms. Having two leaders at the top of the tree is also a good reason for pruning an evergreen. In general, you prune most evergreen trees late winter into early spring and then again when they go semi-dormant in mid-summer, except for pines. Interesting Facts About the Southern Magnolia, Missouri Botanical Garden: Magnolia Virginiana, Missouri Botanical Garden: Magnolia Grandiflora, Missouri Botanical Garden: Magnolia Virginiana Var. Young evergreen magnolias are best trimmed in mid to late spring only when needed. In warm locations it’s an upright, evergreen tree… Magnolia trees of this variety grow quickly and grow tall, with species like the Southern Magnolia growing as tall as 80 feet under ideal conditions. The sweet bay variety "Australis" has especially fragrant flowers and is hardier than the native tree. Although pruning magnolia trees is not necessary, young trees can be shaped as they grow. Knowing how to trim magnolia trees is important in order to maintain their continued health in the landscape. Scheduling pruning at the proper time is important to preserve full flower production by magnolias, which usually bloom in mid- to late-spring. If you have an evergreen magnolia tree, you will rarely need to prune it other than to shorten young branches and … Deciduous magnolias should be pruned between midsummer and early fall. The best time to prune evergreen magnolias is in late spring or early summer after flowering is mostly completed. Also known as a swamp magnolia or a laurel magnolia, sweetbay magnolia looks a lot like a Southern magnolia but is a smaller, more cold-hardy tree, surviving as far north as Zone 5. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 14 of 14 Posts ... JV, to be clear the Southern Magnolia can shed its leaves and some trees are deciduous and some are evergreen. When doing so, exercise care not to remove or disturb new buds near the old flowers. 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