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Sweet bay magnolia

swope58swope58 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Planted my sweet bay magnolia on May 12. It started losing leaves, some of the new groth stems died The leaves are wilting and curling. There are tiny pin head sized white dots on the Bark, NOT on Leaves. I’m posting pictures. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you . Debbie

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  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Hello @swope58 and welcome to the forum!

    I had to look up sweet bay magnolia becaue I hadn't heard of it!  Its botanical name is Magnolia virginiana, and there's some information on the internet about the conditions it likes.  In common with a lot of magnolias it does best in moist, fertile neutral to acid soil (the same sort of soil which rhododendrons prefer), and a sheltered position.  

    It has large leaves... could it have been damaged by wind?  Has it dried out?  Newly planted shrubs and trees need regular, copious watering until they're properly established, and in dry periods after that.  It's likely to be drier next to a wall so that might be contributing to the problem.

    Do the white dots rub off with your finger?  Do they move about?  (ie are they some sort of insect, do you think?)

    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • swope58swope58 Posts: 2
    Thank you for replying . No the spots don’t rub off. I’ve cut and disposed the dead branches and leaves. I’ll try watering more often .  Don’t want to lose this tree.
    thanks,
    Debbie
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    The common name of this tree is the Swamp Magnolia … thus should tell you what sort of conditions it needs … lots and lots of water .., permanently damp roots. A position by a wall is likely to be much too dry for it without copious watering from you. 
    https://www.vdberk.co.uk/trees/magnolia-virginiana/

    As you’ll see from the above link, they also grow into big wide-spreading trees … 

    😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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