Espalier Magnolia question

6 years ago

My magnolia had some flowers but now the new leaves that form are smaller, curled, and with holes-see photos. It is about five feet high and four feet wide, planted in September, and we live in Southeastern PA with current drought, so I water for 3-5 minutes two to three days per week. Fertilizer with Holly-Tone in April or May. They are mulched with 1 inch or so of undyed brown hardwood bark and get partial sun, mostly in late afternoon and evening (from west) facing north. I’ve seen a few lanternflies on it and flick them off, but then they disappear for me to be able to step on them. Thanks!

Featured Answer

Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a

6 years ago

Hi Jenn,

Unless a great number of leaves are distorted I wouldn't worry about it. So many environmental factors can affect leaves. Of course you can google 'pests/diseases magnolias and see what you find. I do know that magnolias get scale and that should be addressed promptly.

I take your point about answering the question you asked. However, I'll take a risk and make an observation about the care and culture of woody plants, like your magnolia. Watering for a very short time (2-3 minutes) does not encourage deep root growth which you want a tree to have. It would be better for your magnolia to water weekly for a longer time. Turn the hose to a trickle...a very low trickle....and leave the hose in place at the root zone for at least a couple of hours. Not right at the trunk which could encourage rot. Move the hose a couple or three times during that extended watering.

If it is cool or cloudy and when the tree is well established (probably next year) you should not have to water so much.

You might want to double check that Hollytone is the correct fertilizer for a magnolia. Hollytone is a soil acidifier and I'm not sure magnolias want a more acid soil. Most trees do not need fertilizer; the soil meets their needs. If you are determined to use it, go half strength (half the recommended amount)

If it turns out the nursery sold you a plant that is not completely hardy in your zone take it up with them sooner than later. An 'espalier' project requires patience and it would be a shame to invest a lot of time in a plant project that won't be successful because the plant isn't hardy enough to thrive in its setting.

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Comments (7)

Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Looks quite a bit like 'Little Gem', which is not hardy in the north anyway - there is periodic cold damage to this specific variety even in my part of USDA 8. (Also it is apt to break under snow loads. As in for instance the entire upper half snapping off and dropping to the ground). So you might think about replacement with something cold climate adapted before you have been bothered by the leaf deformity issue for some time only to then have the specimen fail during a future winter.
Jenn Hoffman Ambler,PA (7A)
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
That’s not an option bc it was sold as evergreen and the leaves lasted all winter, we just had it planted in September (Im sure you know that they are expensive, it is beautiful ,and it seems to be doing well otherwise. I can wipe the snow off if it does snow and will just take a risk, but thanks for a warning. Hopefully someone will be able to answer the question that I did ask on here.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Typically, leaf deformities - especially on the newest growth - are the result of insect damage or severe cold as the new growth was emerging. Unless an insect problem was severe (like the scale which I do not see any sign of here), the damage is more cosmetic than harmful and can be safely ignored.

The cautions noted previously about Little Gem are valid. It is not the cold hardiest of evergreen magnolias and can be expected to suffer some winter dieback in your area. As noted, that is common even in my very mild winter climate in the odd winter we experience an Arctic blast. And you will need to be very diligent about the snow issue. We get very little snowfall here in the PNW compared to you and the snow load damage to Little Gem should not be underestimated! I've seen them broken in half with less than 6 inches on the ground!
Jenn Hoffman Ambler,PA (7A) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Jenn Hoffman Ambler,PA (7A)
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks everyone for advice on the magnolias! I will start to water more lightly but for a longer amount of time as recommended and check the fertilizer. The landscaper that recommended the plant turned out to be not very trustworthy in several respects so perhaps he made the wrong recommendation, so it is good to know to be aware of the risks from winter. Maybe I can trim or train it (maybe install a higher espalier backing as it grows?) not to get too high which I assume may decrease risk of it breaking. Right now a handful of the branches are attached to a lattice of some sort.
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
6 years ago
Snow is probably not going to be an issue because the ice will get it first. Ice can do an enormous amount of damage in that part of the world. It also isn't something you can go out and brush off.
Jenn Hoffman Ambler,PA (7A) thanked mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
how about you take a hand trowel and dig a few 3 to 6 inch holes around the plant.. and FIND OUT about moisture at depth.. and then change watering accordingly ...

if you are in drought.. your couple minutes of watering may not be enough.. no matter how often you do it.. if its not getting to root depth ...

and of course ... if its sodden at depth.. back off ...

why guess..

ken
Jenn Hoffman Ambler,PA (7A) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5