Err, Burgess DID list the scientific name. I have a big mea culpa here. Blame it on my inexperience. Hairmetal, it is indeed that tree, a 'pink magnolia.' I would NEVER have considered it to have been a magnolia. If you've ever been down here we have 'real' magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) EVERYWHERE. It's Mississippi's state tree and is on their vehicle license plates, but it's just as common here (actually have no idea how common it is in Miss, presumably the same, at least the southern half of the state). So when this self-identified amateur thinks of magnolia, that and only that comes to mind. Everyone I know calls the pink magnolia a tulip tree. Granted, I am the one and only person interested in trees and gardening in my circle of acquaintances. I have even seen the proper tulip tree, and have never had cause to call it anything at all. It is DEFINITELY a tree I have no interest in planting. I have heard, though, that some butterflie's caterpillars use it as a host (food) plant. Do y'all know which butterflies, offhand? Thanks again! Jeremy

Hi, Ok I think you are right. I will weed the base of the tree. I will then mulch it and give it some good water. I will try to keep an eye on it. toronado3800, the weather out here has been really hot. It has been nice weather, I mean sunny. But now that you mention it, it has been awfully dry recently. I wish we had just planted this tree with a little more care. It's just that we have greenhouse and a garden shed and other areas that we are planting at the same time. I guess that tree got pushed aside. But now I am definitely going to help it out, I hope. So, About 10 feet away behind and to the left of the tree use to be an apple tree where water was a big problem. Water sat in the ground and almost killed the apple tree. I dug up the apple and I made it into a bonsai. The yard slopes upwards on the right side of the tree. Rain water would run down about 4 properties then settle just past the garden like soup. So we installed a rain drain in the ground by digging a large and long trench to revert the water around the garden into the far back of the yard and forcing the water to continue running off down the hill. When we planted the tree we made sure we planted it just away from the old apple tree spot, about 10 feet away. Now I guess that area dries out instead of holds water. When I took the pictures yesterday it looked dryer than normal. So now I will fix the planting sight and water the tree more. Wish me luck. Thanks, Gardener Guy

I'd be inclined to think the alkaline soil may have been an influence rather than the fert. Unless the fert was over-applied, it is unlikely that excessive nitrogen was at issue - nitrogen is the least stable of the basic plant nutrients in the soil and is often lacking. Mike, you DO know that seeding grown JM's cannot be considered named cultivars? There can be a huge amount of variablility in the seedlings and they often look vastly different in leaf shape and color from the parent tree. They are just generic Japanese maples, Acer palmatum species. If you want a small Fireglow (or other named form) for bonsai purposes, you will need to try from cuttings or from starter grafts. Cutting grown JM's are rather tricky to get going too.

beany's out of league on this one ... dont remove more than 1/3 of the canopy ... in the pic.. at least everything below the top of the black stuff or water.. whatever that is ... and maybe one or two more ... then let it go .. and maybe take another one or two in fall .. i am not one much to having a best time of year for pruning... except maybe red oak .... its usually done when it pisses me off.. or when i walk by with the saw .... i might look the rest of the way up 8 feet or so.. and snip out a few of the tiny branches .. kinda thinning up to my goal... without waiting until i get that high ... bet this thing puts on 3 feet of growth this year... cant think you can go wrong... short of pruning it up 11 feet ... lol just look at the structure as a whole... take the bottom ones.. and think about your pruning for the next 3 years.. and see if any whim hits you .. ken