Brown leaves on magnolia
I have, with horror, just noticed that the free magnolia I was given by a mail order company and nursed from what looked like a bamboo cane, and upgraded through various tree sized plant pots, and which I was encouraged to plant out in my new border about a month ago, has got brown patches on the leaves. Big and new smaller leaves are affected alike. The brown patches look puckered, and most leaves seem to be affected by a brown spot. Do you think it was the frost last week? A few other things in the border got caught by it, because it is east facing. Or do you think that it has objected to the alkaline soil? I planted it in compost and with a bit of Fish, Blood and Bone. Seems a bit of a quick demise for that. If it is frost, will the tree survive? I am sorry I don't know what magnolia cultivar it is - I just remember it was described as having red flowers, not that I have ever seen any. It has lived outside for the last three years, but in sheltered bits of the garden, and not east facing. Eventually I am hoping that things will be planted in front of it, so that it is not so exposed to the sunrise, but I am working my way across.
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Busy have a look at the link below, does any of that fit what you are describing?
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/Profile?pid=364
Two of my young magnolias had all of their young leaves killed by the frost a week last Friday so I would say your suspicions are completely correct. The good news is I can see some buds which seem unaffected and there are signs of new growth beginning at the base of the dead, brown leaves. Only time will tell, but I think magnolias are quite tough trees and should recover, although there may be no flowers next year. Two of my others were also affected but to a much lesser extend and only a third of the leaves were partially damaged by the frost so I'm not at all worried about those. I'm going to snip off the dead leaves, leaving a short bit of leaf stalk which will fall off by themselves in time - I don't want to risk damaging the new growth at their base by pulling the dead leaves off.
Dave that is actually a really useful site page in general terms, isn't it! Thank you. I can see myself referring back to it. Bob, I am pretty sure after reading your post that my problem is frost, and it is reassuring that your trees are getting over it. I didn't realise it would be that devastating, and having molly-coddled the tree for about three years, I don't want to lose it. It is definitely not too dry or wet as the website suggested, because it is on free draining soil, but I have been watering regularly to establish the new border, and the exposure of the area certainly wouldn't suggest fungal activity. I am used to it not flowering - it hasn't flowered ever, so I'm not holding my breath!!