Last October, we had an early snowfall that coated an old apple tree, which, in turn, fell upon my Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata 'Butterflies') and broke the central leader branch. I left the tree to grow and bloom, to be certain that it survived the damage. It bloomed reliably, but now has unpleasing shape, with long arching side limbs. I would like to prune it to create a more upright shape, but am uncertain if this is wise, or how to go about it. Any suggestions?
I find that pruning magnolias in late summer or early fall works to lessen the amount of suckers they usually produce after being pruned. Try to establish a new leader for the tree that it lost with the snow damage.
I need to know when is the best time to prune a Magnolia Tree. I live in the southern part of WV and my tree is so low to the ground that we cannot mow underneath. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
