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Magnolia tree problem (not lilac)

8 years ago

Ignore my previous post about Lilac trees, they are in fact magnolias! I will delete that post once I figure how (don't see an option on my smart phone). Thanks again!

I have 5 magnolias, tall all over 9' tall. Last year they looked dead but they came back.

This year 3 look weak again, but are alive. 2 on the other hand have all dead bracnches, I mean, I checked 5 different spots/branches on each them each and each branch was dry and snapped like a twig.

I'm 99% those two are gone, but I just want to confirm before removing them.

On the remaining 3, what can I do to help them along? The leaves are mostly brown, but I don't notice any disease or insect damage.

I'm in Missouri and these magnolias are at least 8 years old, possibly many years older.

Thanks in advance. Photo attached of one of one o the "good" magnolias. The two I think are dead are the same except all brown.

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Comments (4)

laceyvail 6A, WV
8 years ago
Perhaps you had a very cold winter--or worse, two very cold winters in a row--and your southern magnolias just couldn't take it.
User
8 years ago
I would remove the trees with all dead branches, the ones still with some green should recuperate but I still see a lot of dead wood. Should be easy enough to determine the dead branches as they will be quite brittle. Will also take more than a single season to recuperate its form (assuming you do not get yet another bad winter.). When growing Mg outside of their more common ranges, specific cultivars really are suggested. If you replace, I would suggest relying on varieties Edith Bogue or Victoria. Bracken's Brown is another good one for colder climates. Good luck!
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Sorry! Didn't realize how crappy my photos were. All blurry and sideways yeesh There was an abnormally warm winter and everything is ahead here by a Month so the trees did leaf out early and were hit by a couple freezes. Yet the fuller tree was out more than this one but maybe like you said it decided to affect this one. And there's no snow drifts ever in that spot. The most snow we got this year was maybe a foot and it didn't hang around long. Some of the new growth shows the exact same symptoms, but other spots seem normal. Thankyou! My family does all the yard work. Usually me however! We've been lucky this year as far as weeds go. Nothing popping up except my neighbours columnar aspen seeslings Here's some better ones
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altjimwilson
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you all. Which is best for missouri (zone 6a)? We get over 100 degrees during the summer & below 0 I'm the winter both often for several days at a time. Would the Edith Bogue, Victoria or Bracken's Brown be best?

And are these varieties hard to find at local nurseries?

Thanks again for all of the help.
User
8 years ago
6A is really pushing it for the species (regardless of the cultivar). There are a few other varieties that I have seen listed as super cold resistant ('Pocono' and '24 below'), though I don't actually believe there is one to survive 24 below. All I know, is that around me, the most common varieties sold are Edith Bogues (originally patented from a NJ tree with Florida heritage) and Victorias (out of the Pacific Northwest). And yes, I see a difference in the degree of burning from other cultivars. Last two winter here were also bad. I get virtually no damage to the EB's or my two Victorias. Both cultivars are attractive and robust. New foliage on the Victoria has a reddish tinge to it (like a Rubber Plant). Cold is one factor to consider, there is also wet snow/ice load tolerance (which these two also definitely have).

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