What is your gardening zone? (Pa. is big state with big differences in climate.)

What variety of Magnolia grandiflora is this? Looks like a 'Little Gem'. That variety is probably one of the ones most sensitive to cold damage. One of my Gems does not look much better than yours, but other varieties look just fine (Edith Bogues, Victoria, even Majestic Beauty). In the North, you really need to plant a variety of Southern Magnolia known for its patented cold hardiness. (Assuming your problem was the cold of last winter.) As far as clay soils, they originate in the Southeast..., where I believe the typical soil condition IS clay.

Good luck!

I know that plants usually take a season or two to build up their hardiness. The winter damage you see now may not occur next winter if your plant survives. These plants are very slow to leaf out and at the time of your post, you may not have started to leaf out yet. I have an M. grandiflora 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' and it had some problems last winter too. It was a first year plant. I fully expect that it will do better next winter. Also, it has leafed out very nicely and will hopefully grow well this summer.

Solson, I also have a Mag gran. I have the plain species, is that what you have? Where did you get yours from? I got mine from Mossy oaks native nurseries. They no longer offer this tree, I wished they did. I am happy that my plain Mag Grand. has been doing great for the last 3-4 years. From the pic of yours I would say yours will likely do great. If it is still putting out (or retaining) most leaves you should'nt worry. Strangely enough, I tried a hybrid or cultivar of "black beauty" there is a word in front "Brackens" I am pretty sure, It was supposed to be hardier, but, it died over the winter. My plain Mag Grand. has done great the past 5 or 6 winters. It is not really large, but it is about 5 feet tall. I hope your Mag is doing fine. If it is slow try mulching it in summer.

Poaky1, the cultivar is, 'Bracken's Brown Beauty'. I have not grown this cultivar, but it is supposed to be a hardy cultivar of Magnolia grandiflora. It is not a hybrid, it is purely Magnolia grandiflora. (Hybrids are a cross between two different species. ) You say you have a "plain" Southern magnolia but mostly, northern nurseries tend to sell varieties that are, in fact "cultivars" (selected for superior cold and snow resistance, leaf and tree size, coloration, etc...). There are dozens and dozens or recognized cultivars (some of which are no longer available and have been replaced by newer varieties). Attention to the particular cultivar is especially important in more northerly areas where conditions become harsher. Some varieties tolerate snow loads MUCH better than others, some show no leaf burning to Zone 6b/7 cold (whereas others burn badly). As I said above, the Mg should in the above photo looks like a Little Gem (a pure Magnolia grandiflora, but not a cultivar known for cold tolerance). Just to contrast the past thee winters and the question of cultivar, this year, my Little Gems had NO damage from either snow or cold; whereas the previous two winters they had some dieback (but came back vigorously both growing seasons). During the bad winters there was no burning to the leaves of Edith Bogue or Victoria but did have some branches downed by snow. Still, EB and Victoria offer very good to excellent tolerances to snow in my opinion. I have another cultivar which is a strong vertical grower with very dark undersides to the leaves but poor snow tolerance.

subtropix, My Mag Grandiflora was from one of the Gulf states, I'm pretty sure it was straight mag Grand. I tried a Brackens br. Beauty, it croaked on me.