Magnolia Tree

Discussion in 'Magnoliaceae' started by Unregistered, Nov 1, 2005.

  1. I Live In S.w. Wisconsin(iowa Co.) A Couple Yrs. Ago We Had A Very Strange Spring,freeze Then Warm Tremendously, Freeze Again & The Same Warming, Then Once More Another Freeze. Our Magnolia Tree Has Not Bloomed Since. It Is Either Dead Or Dormant.you Can Even See Where It Had Buds, They Are Still There And The Tree Is Bare. Alot Of Suckers Took Over And They Now Reach The Top Of The Trunk Where It Branches Out. Can I Cut The Tree Top
    And Let The Suckers Take Over? Or Should I Leave It Alone. Its Not Pretty Anymore W/ The Top So Bare & Gray. But I Dont Want To Harm It Either. The Suckers Do Create Blooms, Though. I Realize There Are Different Types But I Do Not Know What Mine Is. I Also Realize My Tree Is Not In A Warmer Environment, Typical For This Tree. Is There Anything I Can Do? Someone
    Please Reply. No-one In This Area Is Familiar W/ Magnolia Trees.

    Thank You, Candy R.
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    A summer with no leaves = dead. Sounds like it froze down and came back from the roots. Cut off the old, dead top and let it continue growing back from the bottom.

    If it was grafted the new top may belong to a seedling rootstock that is not the same kind as that which made up the original, now dead top. However, if you think the flowers of the rootstock are acceptable it doesn't matter. If, on the other hand there are some old branches left from before the dieback episode that are producing different, better flowers like the whole top did before - and it looks like it might grow more of these branches and eventually resume its original stature - then you wouldn't want to let the new growth coming up from the roots crowd these out.
     

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