AT A GLANCE
Which plants are suitable for underplanting magnolias?
- foam flower or cyclamen
- snowdrop or lily of the valley
- Small periwinkle or ivy
- hydrangeas or azaleas
also read
Underplant magnolias with perennials
When planting perennials, keep in mind that Magnolia flat-rooted and spread their roots over a wide area. Therefore, only use very shallow-rooted perennials for underplanting. It is also significant that the perennials penumbra until shadow tolerated and for the magnoliano competitors in relation to nutrients and water. Excellent are:
- foam flower
- wild garlic
- cranesbill
- dead nettles
- columbine
- hosts
- cyclamen
Underplant magnolias with early bloomers
When the last early bloomers are still present, the magnolia blossoms appear. Cleverly chosen, you can create a wonderful composition of flower colors if you use a magnolia with
early bloomers that bloom at the same time underplant. However, specimens that have already bloomed before are also visually valuable for the lower part of the magnolia. Basically, the following early bloomers are excellent for underplanting:- lily of the valley
- daffodils
- tulips
- hyacinths
- winterlings
- crocuses
- snowdrop
- March mug
Underplant magnolias with ground covers
Smaller magnolias in particular, such as the star magnolia or the tulip magnolia, look great with groundcover. The ground cover usually tolerates the root system of the magnolia well. They in turn cause a covering and shading the ground, which slows down the evaporation of water in summer. The magnolias are less stressed, if they are planted with the right ground cover, because the low and dense growing plants can act as natural cold packs.
- lady's mantle
- Small periwinkle
- ivy
- wood anemone
Underplant magnolias with shrubs
Shrubs can come to the fore magnificently in combination with Magnolia. It is best, however, they not directly on the tree disc to put, but rather on the edge. There, the roots of Magnolia are less pronounced and the trees can take root more easily. Large magnolias such as umbrella magnolias, evergreen magnolias and cucumber magnolias are ideal for underplanting with trees and shrubs. Among the trees, original forest dwellers in particular go well with magnolias. Popular for underplanting are:
- hydrangeas
- rhododendron
- azaleas
- camellias
- dogwood
Tip
Protective mulch layer as a low-risk alternative
Has your magnolia been in its location for a long time? Then underplanting can be risky, and digging a planting hole can result in injury to the magnolia's roots. Here you have the alternative of providing the magnolia with a protective layer of mulch instead of underplanting.
