How to Plant and Grow Magnolia Trees

Magnolias are one of the most beloved heralds of spring. These wonderful trees boast showy blooms, sometimes even before their branches have sprouted foliage. And some types of magnolias offer evergreen foliage that has fuzzy copper-colored undersides. This diverse genus ranges from shrubs or dwarf trees to trees that are over 100 feet tall. And you can find a type of magnolia adapted to nearly every growing zone. With just a little planning and maintenance, magnolia trees will be the absolute star of your garden for a lifetime.

Where to Plant a Magnolia Tree

Select a spot in full sun (or partial sun in hotter regions), away from other landscaping. Magnolias don't like to be crowded, and once established, they don't like to be moved. Don't plant anything beneath them, including grass, as the leaves will fall and smother anything below them. When left to decompose as a mulch, the leaves provide essential nutrients to the tree.

How and When to Plant a Magnolia Tree

Planting a magnolia is a straightforward process. Once you've decided on the type that will do best in your landscape, it's time to start digging. Keep in mind that deciduous magnolia varieties are best planted in early spring while dormant.

After choosing the planting location, dig a hole at least one and a half times the width of the root ball or bundle and slightly less deep. Mix plenty of organic compost into the surrounding soil. Remove the upper layer of soil from the tree so that the root at the very top is exposed. Position the tree in the hole so that this root is exactly level with the ground around the planting hole. Fill the planting hole halfway up with soil, making sure the tree is straight. Fill the half-filled hole with water, let it drain, and then fill it fully with soil, being sure to leave that top root exposed. Cover with a few inches of mulch. Keep young trees well-watered until they're established.

Magnolia Tree Care Tips

When established in the proper location and climate, magnolias are exceptionally carefree.

Light

For the best flower show, plant your magnolias in full sun. A few types can manage in part shade, but they prefer full sun. In southern climates, some types may perform better with some shelter from the hot afternoon sun, especially while they get established.

Soil and Water

Select a location with moist but rich, well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly acidic or amend it to these specifications. Don't let your tree stay too wet for long periods; most magnolias don't tolerate standing water. Instead, aim to provide consistent moisture throughout the growing season. Once established, many varieties are drought-tolerant.

Temperature and Humidity

Southern magnolias are less cold-hardy than other types, but regardless of the type, when temperatures fall to 20°F, the tree may need protection. Mulch the top of the root ball to insulate it and wrap the trunk with blankets. At temperatures below 0°F, the tree will likely be damaged.

Magnolia trees grow best in areas with an average humidity range of 30 to 50 percent.

Fertilizer

Fertilize the tree with a granular, balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 formulation, in early spring before the flower buds fully form. Repeat the application in early summer and midsummer, following product label instructions.

Pruning

Keep routine pruning to a minimum, and do it only after the tree has flowered. The rest of the time, only prune damaged branches or limbs on an as-needed basis.

Potting and Repotting a Magnolia Tree

Dwarf magnolias and young trees can be grown in containers because they are slow-growing and have a relatively shallow root ball. The container must offer excellent drainage. Choose a large container that can hold the tree for several years before repotting is needed; magnolias don't like to be relocated or transplanted.

Pests and Problems

Magnolia trees are resistant to diseases and pests. What they don't do well with is damage. Magnolia wounds are notoriously slow to heal. Heavy pruning or damage to the trunk or roots can be catastrophic. For this reason, it's best not to underplant your tree. Digging among the roots or inadvertent nicks by lawnmowers or weed trimmers can result in irreversible damage.

How to Propagate Magnolia Tree

Home gardeners can propagate magnolia trees by stem cuttings or seed. Stem cuttings produce flowering trees much faster than seed—as soon as two years in some cases—whereas seedlings take closer to 10 years to flower. However, stem cuttings have a high failure rate.

Stem Cuttings: Take stem cuttings in summer after the buds are set. Prepare small, excellent-draining containers with moistened perlite. Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut 6- to 8-inch cuttings from the tips of healthy branches, placing them immediately in water while you work. After you have several ready, remove all the leaves except for the ones at the top of the cutting. Make a 2-inch vertical slice near the bottom of the cutting and dip it in rooting hormone. Insert it into the prepared container, and cover it with a clear plastic bag to retain humidity. Put the containers in indirect light. Mist them regularly and expect root growth within a few months.

Seed: Collect seed from magnolia cones that are opening and releasing seeds or pick up a fresh cone and put it in a dry place until it opens. Shake the seeds out. Soak the seeds overnight in water (throwing away any that float) to make it easier to remove the pulp covering. Scarify the seeds by lightly rubbing them with sandpaper. Place the seeds in a plastic bag with moist peat or seed-starting mix and put them in the refrigerator for three to six months. Bring them out in spring when the temperature reaches about 70°F and plant them in a lightweight planting medium. Keep the medium moist until the seeds germinate, which usually takes several weeks. When the seedlings are sufficiently robust, transplant them into their permanent location but protect them from direct sun for the first year.

Types of Magnolia Tree

There are so many different magnolias to choose from that it's difficult to pick just one. To narrow your choices, first consider hardiness. In northern climates, selection is much more limited, especially when it comes to time of bloom. Even if plants are hardy, early-blooming species often lose their flower buds because of late frosts. So bud hardiness becomes a major issue, especially in saucer-type magnolias. Another important factor to consider, especially if you live in a southern climate, is the type of tree you are looking for: evergreen or deciduous.

Southern Magnolia Tree

Southern magnolia trees (Magnolia grandiflora) are the grande dames of magnolias. They can grow up to 90 feet tall, and their creamy and perfumed blossoms reach up to 10 inches in diameter. Suited best to Zones 7–9, M. grandiflora does well in a broad range of climates and is the most prevalent type of magnolia. Even better, there are many smaller or dwarf cultivars of the grandiflora, such as the Little Gem magnolia tree (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'), which grows 15–20 feet tall.

Saucer Magnolia

The saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana), often called Japanese or tulip magnolia, is a hybrid between the Yulan magnolia and the lily magnolia, producing goblet-shaped flowers in purple, pale pink, magenta, and white. Considered a small magnolia tree, it's deciduous and compact, growing only to about 15 feet tall (and many consider it to be a shrub). Japanese magnolias are best suited for Zones 4–9. All types of this stunner flower in the early spring before leaf buds open for a striking display of blooms on bare branches.

Sweet Bay Magnolia

Sweet bay magnolias (Magnolia virginiana) are native to the southeastern United States. This hardy variety (the first ever classified) is adaptable to Zones 4–10, and it's deciduous or evergreen, depending on the zone in which it grows. In its native southern climate, it can grow to be 50 feet tall and is evergreen. It's hardy in northern climates but will grow as a deciduous or semi-evergreen smaller bush-type tree. It features similar blossoms to those of its cousin M. grandiflora, but they're much smaller, measuring around 3 inches in diameter. Its lighter-colored leaves are quite fragrant.

Star Magnolia

Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is a deciduous late-winter bloomer that produces masses of fragrant white to light pink flowers on bare branches before its foliage starts to appear in spring. It's a small magnolia tree, reaching 10–20 feet in height, but because it's a slow grower, it is a fantastic ornamental shrub for years. It performs best in Zones 4–9.

'Elizabeth' Magnolia

Magnolia 'Elizabeth' displays primrose-yellow blooms that make it a standout in the landscape. This slow-growing tree reaches 25 feet tall and about 15 feet wide. Zones 4-8

'Little Gem' Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' is a compact Southern magnolia bearing small white flowers. The tree grows 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Zones 7-9

Cucumber Tree

Magnolia acuminata is a North American native tree that offers tropical-looking, 10-inch-long leaves and greenish-yellow flowers in early summer. It grows 70 feet tall and 30 feet wide. Zones 4-8

Oyama Magnolia

Magnolia sieboldii is a spreading tree that bears large, cup-shaped white blooms from late spring until late summer. It grows 25 feet tall and 40 feet wide. Zones 6-9