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New England Gardening

Star Magnolia not blooming ????

Nancy Vargas Registered Architect

17 years ago

I planted it last year and it had beautiful bloom when I chose it out in the nursery field. This year it has healthy foliage buds, but no bloom. Is this normal? Is there something I should have done last year to secure bloom?

TIA for your advice!

WG

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Comments (8)

barefootinct
17 years ago
I have noticed that the star magnolias near me (in Connecticut, so perhaps a bit ahead of you bloom-wise) looked pretty bad this year. Even the best examples of the species looked only okay. One such tree near my home that is breathtaking most years...just chock-a-block with fluffy white blooms...looks sparse this year. I suspect that the overly warm winter which had some spring bloomers blooming in January, followed by bitter, snowy and icy weather, did in some of the blooms. Maybe this is what happened to your young plant.

Patty
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Nancy Vargas Registered Architect
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for the response barefoot. Unfortunately, up here all my neighbors' magnolias look wonderful! I just came home from running errands for miles and wanted to cry eveytime I passed one. But maybe it is because mine was newly planted that it didn't fare as well?? I don't know. If anyone else has a theory I would greatly appreciate it!

WG
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From your link I can see it's one of the newer reddish purple hybrids from the Jury family in New Zealand. These usually involve M. campbellii and are more tree-like, larger parted - and less hardy - than the Kosar and De Vos National Arboretum hybrids such as 'Ann'. If you have a tight space you may not really have room for a magnolia anyway - nearly all of them grow into small trees at the very least. Even lily, Oyama and star magnolias grow more than 15' tall and wide, over time - multiple examples of star magnolia more than 20' tall are known in my area. (And yes, these are true star magnolias and not misidentified Kobus or Loebner magnolias). And a specimen tree like this needs room around it to show well. Here is a link that might be useful: The U.S. National Arboretum presents eight hybrid magnolia cultivars affectionately known as ''The Girls.'' This post was edited by bboy on Sat, Nov 16, 13 at 13:15
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sedum37
17 years ago
Different micro climates in the same town could account for the blooming differences. I am seeing around town regular magnolias and star magnolias in various stages of bloom with various fullness of blooms.
chelone
17 years ago
We have a lovely stellata in our front yard. The commonly made mistake with them is to plant them in "protected" sites on your property. Magnolia stellata is an amazingly tough and cold hardy shrub and you actually do it a great disservice by "protecting" it. Our's is planted where it received the full brunt of the worst northeast storms, it's never failed to bloom for us. The only thing that can ruin "the show" are heavy rains at peak bloom.

Your's is a baby; this is its first year in its new site, and it may take time for it to set roots and really acclimate itself. Be patient! Odds are, it will be just fine with some time, so what if you get no flowers this year? (I have a "Butterflies" yellow one that has yet to flower, it's been 2 years).
diggingthedirt
17 years ago
Two more things to consider.

Is it really a stellata, or something similar like a Loebner (a hybrid, M. kobus x M. stellata)? I've got a Merrill, a type of Loebner, which fools me every year because while it looks a lot like a star, it blooms much later than they do.

And, does it have flower buds? Mine has a few buds, they look somewhat like fat pussy willow buds.

And, as chelone says, yours may simply bloom late this year, since it is a young'un.
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Nancy Vargas Registered Architect
Original Author
17 years ago
You guys are so sweet to respond.

Yes, I am pretty sure it is a star magnolia. Maybe it is just still acclimating as you suggest.

It is just that there is a funny story about this particular location. I planted a dogwood four years ago and for three years I just assumed it was "acclimating" only to find out that they sold me a dogwood with virtually no bloom! So I left it in the gound and they let me select a nice mature star magnolia, and now this year - NO BLOOM! I have been waitng five years now for a bloody blooming tree on the North side of my house and I am getting a bit sick of waiting!

Oh, what's another year I guess!

WG
chelone
17 years ago
Does your shrub get good, direct sun?? I'm on "alert" by the north side remark...

Our's is on the southeast side of our home... if it was sited on the north side of the house I would expect it to respond with blossoms 2-4 weeks later...

This shrub needs strong sunlight to really put forthe the show you want.
clemson351_yahoo_com
12 years ago
Have you ever heard the story that the higher in the top of the magnolia it blooms--the stronger the hurricanes will be?--old wives tale--but taken to heart in the South, and this year the blooms are thick and all in the top..

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