I suppose the eventual size won't be AS much of an issue, then (especially because it's in part shade), though from what I hear those things can still get big. I wonder what will happen once it hits the canopy of the honeylocust tree.

Magnolia grandiflora is definitely not a tree I would have chosen for myself--way overplanted here. And the cultivar name reminds me of a yappy, spoiled little bichon frisé dog.

Little Gem.

Looks just like 'Little Gem'. Despite the name this often wants to grow into a medium-sized tree, the original seedling was tall and narrow. Similarly, the one I mention on this web site I saw near Los Angeles that was about 42' high was much less broad than high.

"And the cultivar name reminds me of a yappy, spoiled little bichon frisé dog."

LOL at this.

Any guesses as to what will happen as it approaches the canopy of the honeylocust directly overhanging it? The magnolia is 5' high and the lowest branches of the honeylocust are about 8' high (you can see them in the first photo). Some possibilities: 1) the shade will stunt the magnolia and cause it to mostly stop growing before it hits the other tree's canopy; 2) the magnolia will grow into the honeylocust canopy; 3) it will grow outward toward the open light to the south, to get out from under the shade.

The honeylocust is the neighbor's tree, but 30-40 percent of the canopy overhangs our yard. Typical for honeylocust, the shade is light and it leafs out late, so the magnolia does get some light from above as well as from the south.

The law allows us to lop the honeylocust branches that overhang onto our side so long as we don't create a hazardous condition, but frankly I enjoy the shade from the neighbor's tree more than the Little Gem.

It will grow straight up into it.

grizzly, S mag is pretty shade tolerant, so I wouldn't be concerned, except for aesthetics. Certainly you have a right to cut off some HL branches over your lot later if they interfere w/the mag.

Since it is small and new the best move would be to relocate it to another area not already dominated physically and visually by another, bigger tree.