I'm in zone 7, and I have a young Yulan Magnolia, about 7' tall, that was planted about 3 months ago. It flowered fairly quickly and then slowly leafed out. It has been looking well to my untrained eye, but in the last week I notice that the leaves are getting lighter, yellowing slightly at the tips. The leaf texture doesn't seem any different, just the color is changing. Should I start to panic? Is the tree sick? Thank you for any and all advice.
Deciduous magnolias really go for the water and fertilizer on many sites in this region. Your new tree should also be mulched, and given a larger turf-free area than is visible in your photo.