Hello all. A newbie here so first post and testing the water, My Q about pruning a magnolia requires a bit of explanation . I had a new fence built last summer and reclaimed about 5ft of my property line which incorporated a 10 ft magnolia pink and white flowers that was previously on the neighbors side and sheilded by the sun most of the day. Along with removing large junipers the workers also cut down the magnolia about 4 inch from the ground. I was horrified as I really wanted to how much better It would do with the fence being moved. Since then It began to regrow from the remaining trunk and has now sprouted numerous branches growing up with lots of large green leaves to 6 ft of which I,m very pleased about but now concerned that its is not devoloping a central trunk and have sniped off recently some of the lower and thin branches until now it has about 8 branches between 4 and 6 ft comeing from 3 trunk stubs about 3inches in diameter about 3inches above the ground. The plant seems very healhty as it is in this state and wonder if I should let it grow as it is, snipping the lower growth on the thinner branches or try to establish one main trunk. Thank in advance for any advise Andy
Did it have one trunk before being cut down? If not, just leave it. The kinds of deciduous magnolias commonest in gardens are normally multitrunked.
Thanks for the reply, Yes The original tree had 3 trunks. As it is now the tree is growing about ten, 3 to 6 ft limbs off the 3 remaining trunks. Ive pruned about 5 so far but a little leery about removing any more. Andy