I will chime in as we are dealing with similar Zone and Southern Magnolia cultivars. I am trialing some of the hardier Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) cultivars in my Hamburg NY, yard. Here are the results as of July 1, 2008: 1) Unnamed clone from Appalachian Gardens - Regrowth is fair, however the tree is planted near a large Norway Maple that is slated to be removed this summmer. I am quite sure there is root competition from the Norway Maple... 2) 'Pocano' - Planted late April 2007. No tip dieback. Regrowth is extremely vigorus and tree looks very healthy. Has dropped some leaves, but has replaced them. Had to pinch some growth that was emerging near the base, left other growth for food making. Tree was purhased from Rarefind Nursery. 'Edith Bogue' - Planted late April 2007. leaves look same as last fall, no tip dieback.Bought from Forest Farm Nursery and is grown from a cutting. Extremely healthy and vigorus growth and has dropped very few leaves from last year. 4) 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' - Planted late April 2007. Leaves look same as last fall. Has dropped few, if any leaves! Later to start into growth, however it is putting on healthy growth. was forming a flower bud, that I removed as the tree may redirect it's energy into growth. Tree purchased from Forest Farm. 5) '- 24 Below' - Planted in April 2008. This tree is growing quite good in it's first year in the ground. Tree purchased from Beaver Creek Nursery. **************************** January 28,2009 Brief winter update on my Magnolias. Our winter, especially January, has been cold. According to the January 27 edition of the Buffalo News, this January is the coldest ( In Buffalo area) since January 1977 - the year of the blizzard! This spring will provide me with the results of the best testing (low temperature) for my trees. The lowest temps that we have had are not the actual lowest recorded temps for these Southern Magnolia Cultivars. I have constructed burlap screens that block the winter sun from shining on the snow and reflecting into the tree. The results will be in after the growing season starts in the spring. A brief look at all Magnolias show no damage at this point, the true test will be when the growing season begins. So far , so good... *************************************************** February 25, 2009 - UPDATE: All of the trees have slight leaf burn - we are having/have had colder than normal winter temperatures. I also believe the amount of wind has been more than normal. I consider this a good test of their hardiness. Trees look good at this point. All buds on all trees appear good at this point. This refers to the buds being green, flexible along with the stems appearing green. I realise this is early, but I feel confident of their hardiness. I am looking forward to the growing season and the updates will continue! ~ Gerry

I have grown Magnolia grandiflora "Edith Bogue" successfully in Guelph Ontario for 3 years. Planted outdoors in moist clay loam , slightly above grade and acidified by pine bark, peat moss, humus mix as top dressing . Watered regularly in winter thaws with luke warm water to keep surface roots drawing moisture for leaves ( to mitigate wind desiccation/ winter sunburn ) Flowered 3rd year after planting. Now 9ft high ( 8-12 inches /year) . Growing well this spring (2014) after extraordinarily cold winter down to negative 34C for several nights in January/February. Some leaf dessication this year (first time since planted, probably because of very cold winter)) and 25% leaf burn from spring sun (possibly due to late soil thaw this year as sun got stronger), but these leaves will drop anyway as a matter of course to be replaced by new leaves by June 1. New leaf buds already swelling. Also successfully growing Magnolia asheii, Magnolia virginiana "Porcelain Dove ( amazing plant), 2 hardy crape myrtles, 5 hardy camellias, stewartia and franklinia alamataha amongst other rare/ endangered / and zone pushers. All doing well.

Magnolias take time to flower for long periods. Have patience. Some will, with time, flower over a longer period than others. Do you know if yours are selected cultivars, or seed-grown specimens? For instance, 'Little Gem' is noted for the length of time it will flower over the summer, although mine isn't yet (5 years in the ground) large/old enough to have a major display at any one time. My 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' and another whose name I have lost were planted 4 and 3 years ago, and flower much less and less often, despite being, as they should be, taller. I wouldn't bother to feed them, as long as they are growing in decent soil, well watered and mulched. If your soil is VERY alkiline, then I might do something to alter the longterm pH (mostly a losing proposition, over time, but it can, laboriously, be done), but most Magnolias are accepting of slightly acid-to-neutral soil. You can give them a light feeding of a fertilizer for acid-loving plants (hollies, azaleas, rhodies, etc. - Holly-Tone is a good one) in the late fall, if you really need to do something, or if your soil is very poor. BUT, magnolias grow in the wild in varied locations with varied soil, and usually do fine.

I've seen lots of DDB, it is a popular landscape tree in the SE. I've only seen one EB, my tree. EB's main claim to fame is it's supposed hardiness. Mine is in full sun and wide open, no large trees anywhere near it. It is about 20-25 years old from a one gallon. It is wider than high, branched to the ground, and fairly open with somewhat long willowy branches. It took a long time to bloom, and is even now a rather shy bloomer. Blooms are of average size. For me EB has been of average hardiness, it has never lost any wood or suffered any bark split, but it has had browned foliage, though never defoliated. On a scale of 1-5 I rate it 3. DDB is very popular and often seen in private landscapes and especially public ones. It is upright in youth and more spreading as it ages, but taller than wide. Foliage is deep glossy green above and copper/red beneath, especially when young. The tree presents a lush, rich appearance and is a vigorous grower. Floriferousness has been average, but blooms are well formed and slightly smaller than average, a good thing IMHO. Hardiness has been on a par with EB for me, the literature says less hardy than other hardy clones, zone 7. On a scale of 1-5 I rate it 5. All magnolias grown under conditions you describe will tend to be open, with slightly larger than average foliage and less than average bloom, all due to shade. If DDB and EB are the only clones under consideration, my choice would be DDB.