Tulip magnolia, Magnolia soulangiana: care from A-Z

The tulip magnolia is mostly only known as magnolia in Europe and is one of the most popular ornamental trees of the genus in the local latitudes. The hybrid is used exclusively as a decorative tree and not like the related one Evergreen magnolia (bot. Magnolia grandiflora) as a supplier of fragrances or wood. It can be kept outdoors in Germany without major problems, as long as the care and location are right and it belongs to the ornamental trees with early flowering.

Characteristics

• botanical name: Magnolia soulangiana
• Genus: Magnolias (Magnolia)
• Hybrid of yulan magnolia (Magnolia denudata) and purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora)
• belongs to the plant family of the magnolia family (Magnoliaceae)
• Common names: magnolia, garden magnolia, magnolia tree, tulip tree
• slow growing tree or, more rarely, shrub, perennial
• Growth height: up to 900 cm
• Leaves: short-stemmed, alternate leaves in fresh green color up to 20 cm in length, hairy underside
• Flower: purple, pink or white upright flowers with large petals
• Flowering period: April to May
• Flowers appear before the leaves shoot in spring
• Origin: Eastern China
• sensitive to frost
• not lime tolerant
• is since 19. Bred in the 17th century
• is not related to the tulip trees (Liriodendron)
• forms seeds

Location

The location is essential for the vitality of the plant and incorrect properties can have a negative effect on its vitality. With the tulip magnolia there is a tree within the genus that prefers a lot of light and is almost a real sun worshiper. The following points provide information about what to consider when choosing a location:

• Light requirement: sunny
• sheltered from the wind
• Required space: 6 to 8 m²
• warm

In addition to the actual space required by the Magnolia soulangiana, you should also pay attention to canopies or other trees whose crown is in the immediate vicinity. Since the tree can reach heights of up to nine meters, a problem quickly arises if the branches reach up to walls, roofs, ledges or other trees and are kinked. This ensures that specimens are rotten to bloom. However, it is advisable to choose a sheltered place in the garden, for example near house walls or walls, so that cross winds do not harm the magnolia. The space required by the trees must always be taken into account. Container plants require significantly less space.

Buy preferred potted plants

If you don't have a copy of the tulip magnolia yourself, you will need to purchase one beforehand. When buying a pre-grown tulip magnolia, you must pay particular attention to the substrate in the planter. This must not be too dry, because the plant does not tolerate drought very well and you should refrain from buying it. You should also take a good look at the shape of the shrub. Are branches sticking out in strange directions or is the magnolia generally misshapen? The reason for this are usually incorrect pruning measures, which significantly reduce the number of flowers. There are two purchase dates to choose from if you want to plant out the plant:

• ideal is the end of September before hibernation
• early spring to April

These dates also apply to repotting if you have decided to keep them in a bucket.

Tip: Normally there are no magnolia seeds available in stores, which is what makes checking so important when buying. You want to enjoy your magnolia.

floor

The soil of the site should have properties that enable the tulip magnolia to live comfortably. The trees can reach an age of over 100 years and should therefore be able to look forward to a soil condition that meets expectations. Since the hybrids have established themselves well in Central Europe, it is not difficult to create a suitable soil with the following characteristics:

• humus
• angry
• wet
• permeable
• lime-free

The plant does not place any further demands on the soil. Therefore, it is quite easy to prepare it appropriately for planting.

plants

Once you have brought your specimen home, you should plant it immediately so that it has a fresh and suitable substrate or a place in the garden. Magnolias are always planted in the same way:

1. Dig a planting hole. This must be twice the size of the root ball in width and depth so that the tulip magnolia can develop enough roots.
2. Enrich the excavation with water and humus. This improves the quality of the soil for the tree immensely and makes for an ideal location. Alternatively, you can mix in a portion of clay, because that is what the Magnolia soulangiana likes.
3. Remove the magnolia from the pot. Be careful not to damage the roots. Also, check the roots for damage and remove any that are rotten, kinked, or dried out. Then the magnolia is placed upright in the bed and the planting hole is filled with the excavated material. Pouring is not required here.
4. For the next few days you need to pay special attention to the moisture of the site, as it is particularly sensitive to drought in the first few weeks after planting out. But don't overdo it to avoid waterlogging in any form.

Tip: If you still want to do something good for the tulip magnolia, ground cover can be planted in the direct vicinity of the tree. These must be persistent and hardy, because they act as additional winter protection and improve the soil through their roots.

Substrate

If you have decided to keep it in a bucket, the substrate used is extremely important, as this will only make the magnolia feel good. Special rhododendron soil is particularly suitable for this, alternatively a ready-made product for bog plants.

Repot

When repotting, you proceed in the same way as you would when planting. Especially immediately after purchase, you should immediately repot the plant in a new container so that it can effectively grow and establish itself:

• choose a slightly larger pot
• this must have drainage holes
• create drainage at the bottom
• gravel or potsherds are suitable for this
• Half fill the pot with substrate
• Insert the plant
• Fill up to 2 cm below the edge
• pour on

There is nothing more to consider when repotting.

Tip: Keep in mind that keeping them in a bucket can be problematic as the plant will simply grow too big. You need a larger pot almost every year, as the fleshy roots in particular quickly suffer from a lack of space.

care

Despite its reputation as a complicated plant, the tulip magnolia is a fairly undemanding plant. Except for the cut, the addition of water and possible problems due to diseases or pests, the hybrid requires little maintenance. Even wintering is not really expensive and can be implemented with just a few measures. If you decide to keep it in the bucket, you also have to pay more attention to the fertilization, as the substrate is not sufficiently enriched with nutrients in the long term.

to water

Watering the tulip magnolia is one of the most important steps in its care. Magnolia soulangiana always needs sufficient moisture and quickly suffers from drought stress. Rain and moisture from the air are sufficient in themselves, but especially in dry summer weeks it is necessary to water them yourself. Use the finger test for this. If the first layer of soil has dried, simply pour it over. It is best to use water with little lime when watering, as the tulip magnolia, like all its relatives, does not tolerate lime. Rainwater is ideal for watering the magnolias. You water potted plants as follows:

• Use water with little lime
• water regularly
• also check with a finger test
• Give water until the saucer is full
• Leave this for 30 minutes
• then throw away excess water

Especially on hot days it can happen that you have to water a lot. Magnolias consume a lot of moisture when kept in the bucket.

Fertilize

When fertilizing, the tulip magnolia is extremely frugal despite the numerous flowers. Especially when you have planted your specimen, you only need to fertilize once a year, which makes the Magnolia soulangiana one of the most popular scented trees. Fertilize once in spring with one of the following organic fertilizers, which are simply worked into the soil:

• Clippings
• compost

If you have decided to keep them in a bucket, you should regularly administer fertilizers, as these get more nutrients than outdoor magnolias. For this purpose, a rhododendron fertilizer is recommended, which you administer weekly over the irrigation water according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fertilizer sticks also work. Mineral fertilizers can also be used on outdoor specimens if they are weak.

Tip: Mulching has worked extremely well with the magnolia and helps to store nutrients and water that are lost over the year. So apply a layer of mulch made of lawn clippings or compost to feed the magnolia all year round.

Cut

The best thing about the tulip magnolia: The tree does not require annual maintenance or maintenance pruning. The magnolia is very easy to cut, but cutting could disturb the natural structure of the crown and lead to unsightly growth forms. Therefore, you can do without a cut. However, if the plant is too big or if something needs to be thinned out, the best time to do this is late summer. To do this, proceed as follows:

• use disinfected, sharp pruning shears
• Cut individual shoots completely at the branches
• this preserves the shape

You don't have to pay attention to anything else when cutting. Be careful and don't cut too much, or you will end up with unnecessary branching that would destroy the beautiful, desirable natural shape.

Tip: You can cut off individual branches for the vase in the same way as the flowers only begin to wilt after about four weeks and exude their wonderful all the time Scent. The best time to do this is just before flowering in April.

Overwinter

When overwintering, you have to pay particular attention to the welfare of your specimens in the bucket. These are much more sensitive to frost and therefore need more protection. A location in cool, frost-free and bright rooms with a maximum of 10 ° C would be best. Conservatories are particularly suitable. If this is not possible, overwinter the container plant outdoors as follows:

• Pack the bucket well with bamboo mats or garden fleece
• put some mulch on the substrate
• Place the bucket on an insulating layer made of styrofoam or wood

If you live in a particularly cool region, you can carefully wrap the entire tulip magnolia with fleece. But be careful not to damage the flowers. A free-standing specimen is protected from frost with mulch or jute mats. Simply distribute these around the trunk. You will need to continue watering over the winter when there are dry spells without snow. However, do not water too much here so that it does not suddenly freeze.

Multiply

The propagation of the Magnolia soulangiana has proven itself above all by lowering. Sowing is not really recommended, as the seeds germinate only weakly and magnolias that have been sown usually only have few flowers. This is not the case with lowering:

1. Loosen the soil around the entire tree and enrich it with compost. This ensures a good supply of nutrients to the young tree.
2. Then choose a shoot on the edge of the magnolia that is long and flexible. It should lower sufficiently to the ground without breaking or damaging the tree. After that, loosen the soil.
3. Bend the sinker to the ground, and after that, remove all the leaves at the point of contact. Measure the sinker so that about 15 centimeters protrude from the ground. This is the young tree that you use to propagate the tulip magnolia.
4. Now lower the branch into the ground and cover it with soil. The lowering device is fixed with a tent peg or a bent nail made of stainless steel.
5. Now you have to wait. It can take months or a whole year for the roots to form. Once sufficient roots are in place, do a quick check of the soil find out, the branch is cut off and the sunken plant as a young plant in a suitable location planted.

Tip: Propagation via cuttings is possible, but not as successful as lowering. Magnolia cuttings mold very quickly and must then be disposed of, which prevents or delays reproduction.

Diseases

In itself, the tulip magnolia is a robust plant that does not suffer as much from diseases. However, problems can develop mainly due to care errors or the effects of the weather, which are made clear by the following diseases:

1. Leaf spot disease: Black spots with a yellow halo on the leaves are a sign of this disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. In cold and damp weather, these infect the tree and can cause major damage. As a precaution, be sure to remove all withered leaves near the tree in autumn, because this is where the bacteria hibernate. If you recognize an infestation, immediately remove all infected parts of the plant.
2. Powdery mildew and downy mildew: Both types of powdery mildew can develop on the tulip magnolia due to dryness (powdery mildew) or moisture (downy mildew). Both are characterized by a white to gray coating on the leaves, which slowly curl up and die off. The best way to combat powdery mildew is with home remedies such as nettle stock.

Tip: An infestation by the ash whitefly is also possible and is fought through the use of natural predators such as the ichneumon fly. Alternatively, insecticides can be used, but these are not necessarily recommended.