Last spring we ordered an Anne Magnolia from a Canadian supplier website. It was about 16 inches tall with several buds and quite flexible and green. Throughout the summer we kept it watered, but saw no growth whatsoever. No sign of opening buds or anything. However the stems remained flexible and were not dry. Now, I'm wondering if magnolia tends to sulk after planting, and if possibly it will come alive this coming spring. We did tell the vendor about the situation and did receive a refund. But I'm still awful curious if there's perhaps if there's a chance this plant is still alive. Thank you!
You got a refund because such behavior (failure to bud out and grow at the appropriate time) would ordinarily be taken as an indication that the plant is dead or soon will be. Perhaps it was handled in such a way before you got it that its dormancy requirements were not met, preventing it from coming out of dormancy without killing it outright (just theorizing here, don't know if this particular combination of circumstances has been seen to happen much). Or maybe there is a root pathogen or other hostile force present that caused your new tree to act this way. Try planting a replacement in a different spot, if possible. By the way, it's spelled 'Ann'. It's one of the Kosar and DeVos hybrids between lily and star magnolias developed and named by the US National Arboretum. http://www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/magnoli1.html
