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magnolia help!!

13 years ago

Hello,

I have a Galaxy saucer magnolia which is in it's 4th year. Last fall I discovered magnolia scale. The tree was still small enough to hand pick every single female scale---I went over the tree about 100 times and I'm pretty comfortable I got them all. No sign of that...yet. Now, after an encouraging first bloom this spring, the leaves are turning yellow and then brown/crunchy, and are mottled. There is dark mottling on even the green leaves.

I have looked through several internet sites and can't find anything that sounds/looks like this...I'm so frustrated! I'm confident it's not overwatering or overfertilization though it could be inadequate water or fertilizer. But I'm suspecting something else. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I'm in Maryland, 7A, which is incredibly humid and hot. I hope this tree is not doomed....

THANK YOU!

Ann

Here is a link that might be useful: magnolia leaves

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Comments (7)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
13 years ago
Certainly not "inadequate fertilizer", whatever that is. Might be a sooty mold from the honeydew from the scale (hopefully not attracted by fertilizing tree), combined with some other sort of mold and the stress of having its food sucked out of it and having to survive the winter. That's what I see from here.

Dan
Ann
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you Dan!

There shouldn't be any honeydew now, right? I can accept a stressful winter for the tree, but since it bloomed and then leafed out so well in the spring, shouldn't that mean its troubles are over?

Do you know if mold/fungus is a chronic problem in magnolias in this area? I didn't research it before I bought the tree because I see magnolias all over the place...I figured they couldn't all be getting sprayed so I assumed they do well here. Of course then I went and picked an unusual variety...not very bright of me.

Any other thoughts would be much appreciated!

Ann
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ashville
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I am in Indianapolis area and it is hot and humid here these days. I am also seeing yellow leaves eventually fall off on my Jane Magnolia. This must be related to heat and humidity. Mine hasn't had any honeydew problems. About 3 years old and 4 feet tall. Had flowesr last two springs and even last fall (just one or two)
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13 years ago
Deiell21,

It could be insect (thrips, etc) damage. Why don't you start your own thread about this problem and post some pictures (if you have them)? You'll probably get a better response that way.
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13 years ago
Regarding the 'Jane', if you are talking about spring flowers and these are becoming blackened it is probably lilac blight, perhaps severe frost. If you are talking about summer flowers, borne among the fully expanded leaves numerous other Magnolia liliiflora hybrids produce these also. They often do not develop fully. Not sure how often these off season blooms do not open, but they are usually undersized and under-pigmented.
Joannmunoz96_yahoo_com
12 years ago
I have a magnolia tree and we had a freeze this winter, my tree has not recovered, its still alive but barely, what can I do? I planted it a year ago.

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