The problem is not the magnolia, but the landscapers insistence to plant things underneath a Southern Magnolia. There is no way to avoid the leaf drop...that is just what they do in the spring. These trees are not meant to be limbed up, b/c of their spring mess, roots, seeds, cones, and dense shade. I would consider not planting anything under the tree but using it as a backdrop for a whole other landscape. The landscaper seems to be trying to gain a buck and then when those plants don't perform you'll call him back again for more business. Try looking around your area and see if people plant under those trees...you'll be hard-pressed to find one. There is nothing more majestic and southern than a mature Southern Magnolia with branches from the top to the ground.

Absotively correct! There are few trees messier than a Magnolia. One learns to live with it, not fight it.

Which adds more value to your property? A few new shrubs or the magnolia? Your landscape design was seriously flawed. Some designers or landscape architects have very little actual experience with plants and how they behave in the short and long run. This kind of design reflects that kind of inexperience.

"...at ground level, a wide tarn of black shade, and a summer litter of big leaves in ones and twos over a long period. To my eyes, this handsome tree has little place in home gardening."

--G. Schenk, THE COMPLETE SHADE GARDENER

When we sold my mother's house south of Atlanta I dug up a volunteer magnolia (gift of the birds) and brought it to my daughter new home 15 miles east of Washington, DC. It was planted too close to the corner of her fence and I had to limb it up but the fence disguises that fact. Fortunately the neighbors don't mind the intrusion on their air space. I let the fallen leaves act as mulch under the tree. Fallen leaves elsewhere get chopped up when the lawn in cut. My biggest problem in that our lawn service blows away my Mulch each fall. The tree is now almost 20 years old and will be blooming within the next few weeks.

I'm not overly excited about southern magnolia but I'd rather you keep the tree than try to plant things beneath it. Why do people feel compelled to garden beneath trees? If you want it to look like a rainforest keep in mind that rainforest plants are in competition with one another for moisture, sun and nutrients. That can be a challenge.

Since it is way harder to replace a mature tree than flowers and shrubs, I'd also suggest leaving the tree, and moving the other plants. If it's your main shade tree I'd bet you'd really miss it in the hot summer!

Thanks to all for the comments and responses. It looks as though the Magnolia has won...

Due to the dense multilevel growth of mostly broadleaf evergreen trees (such as magnolias) combined with myriad other plant growth types floor of mature rainforests may be comparatively bare. Little light may reach it.

Not that it's good for any tree, but magnolias in particular supposed to be sensitive to digging among their fleshy roots.

I agree with all the other advice, jqpublic's response is correct- the magnolia doesn't need underplanting & please resist limbing them up...