Magnolia

Birdgirl82 · April 2021

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice on my Magnolia tree please. It is more than likely to big really for where it is planted but we inherited it with the house. As you can see from the photo below, it is getting rather large and is a strange shape. I'd like to cut some of the top off and generally reshape it but I've read they don't take kindly to pruning. I'd hate to have to take this beautiful tree out completely (I would plant something smaller in it's place if I did) but it needs something doing to it. I'd love some advice on whether it's OK to hard prune, if so, when to do this or whether it needs taking out completely.

Thanks in advance,

Rachel

BobTheGardener · April 2021

I agree, you need to try something, but don't do it now, or it may bleed to death. I would wait until mid-summer and take out the whole wayward-looking branch marked in red in the image below, then see how it looks. When you do that, take the branch down in stages to avoid tearing bark and leave about a foot, then saw that last foot off cleanly, close to the trunk, just above the 'collar'.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/50/h3db5buhmgg3.jpg

Edit: Don't be tempted to cut a bit off all over, or it will develop 'watershoots' which will look awful and be a pain to control.

Ergates · April 2021

We have a similar problem, but were advised that it could affect the tree badly. Luckily we have masses of space, so we’ve just left it to it. They do get huge though.

Birdgirl82 · April 2021

Thank you @BobTheGardener for the advice. I will definitely try that later in the year. It's a beautiful tree but whoever planted it originally didn't think about how big it would grow. Fingers crossed it will be ok.

Magnolia

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