I want a Magnolia Tree!

[ducks4you]

They, (the infamous "they"), have bred them to survive in Michigan.

 

[Smart Red]

You are zone 6? The most common magnolia around here is a huge flowering pinkish one that is hardy in zone 5, but usually gets hit by a late frost and results in brown petals on the ground.

The newer Stellar varieties are hardy to zone 4, have smaller, more delicate flowers, and set bloom later in the spring, thus avoiding most late frosts.

 

[Nyboy]

The one I grew up with every now and then lost flowers to a late frost. One thing I remember reading they don't transplant well. Pick a forever spot then you plant one.

 

[Smart Red]

Now you tell me!

 

[Nyboy]

Did you move one Red? There is always a rule breaker.

 

[ducks4you]

The one I grew up with every now and then lost flowers to a late frost. One thing I remember reading they don't transplant well. Pick a forever spot then you plant one.

I learned several years ago that when you buy a tree late in the year, like on clearance, that you plant it in a big, tree pot, plant that in your garden bed, after the tomatoes are finished, and heavily mulch. MINE was in a bed it's first winter with almost no protection from the winter winds, and it survived and was flowering before I transplanted it the next Spring. The pot makes the difference. You don't lose any roots.

 

[Smart Red]

I moved a white butterfly magnolia (stellar series) from my "nursery" to Gypsy's Moon Garden area. It didn't survive the move from pot to planting spot.

Did it keep it watered? I don't remember. Did Spouse mow it down? I don't remember looking. I just noticed at the end of the summer there was only a ragged, dry stick where the tiny sapling had been placed.

 

[ducks4you]

The pot is about 2 1/2 foot tall, 1/2 ft in diameter at the top, slightly less at the bottom, with a drain hole and a "saucer", so that it can drain.

 

[aftermidnight]

Did you move one Red? There is always a rule breaker.

Yep me too, not only did I move one once I played musical chairs with it several times until I found it's forever home. I bought it when it was about a foot high in a one gallon pot for $2.50. It took four moves before it was happy. This picture was taken in 2010 it's much bigger now.

Magnolia Stellata

I have another M. soulangiana with pink saucer type flowers but it quite often gets hit by a late frost, but every other year it looks decent. Can't find a picture of it right now.

Here's a picture of one the M. soulangiana down the road from us, I don't know how old it is and a late frost never seems to hurt it, much to my chagrin. Makes the house behind it look like a doll house.


We grow some pretty big Rhodos up our way too, this one is in the town of Ladysmith not far from us. Said to be over 125 years old. Not sure but think the cultivar name is 'Cynthia'.


Annette

 

[Smart Red]

Ah, beautiful. That first photo (white) is the kind I had. . . I will have again.

And people suggested I was lying when I said my rhodies were above 7 feet tall. Got'a love my turn-around!