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Star Magnolia next to mature oak tree

last year

I'd like to plant a star magnolia about 6-8ft from the trunk of a mature oak at the edge of a garden bed. The spot gets enough sunlight for the stellata, I just want to be sure I'm not going to risk hurting the oak. I see understory planting close to oaks all the time, they're just not close to my oak!

Featured Answer

cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)

last year

My neighbor has a M. Stellata that is at least 15 ft. tall and wide. It is beautiful. Can you plant one where it will have more space? If not, perhaps plant a flowering shrub instead.

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Comments (7)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
You can certainly underplant the oak........but a star magnolia would not be my first choice. It has the potential to get much larger than the 6-8' spacing from the oak will comfortably allow. 25'x20' is not uncommon for a mature specimen.
J M
Original Author
last year
Thanks! But we are talking 20 years to reach that height. My plan is to train and prune it as a small 8-10ft tree mainly for the spring interest as I need some early spring flowers over in that corner of the yard.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Magnolias as a genus react poorly to pruning and keeping one to a much smaller size than it wants to be - never a preferred reason for pruning - is unlikely to produce successful long term results. The accepted horticultural consensus is that other than the three D's (dead, diseased or damaged), pruning magnolias should be avoided.

Early spring color can be obtained by a whole host of other, more size appropriate shrubs (not trees) and if you can share your location, we can make alternate suggestions.
laceyvail 6A, WV
last year
Ditto to what gardengal says.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
on the other hand.. take into consideration what they said.. and just do what you want ... just dont come back and complain.. lol..

actually.. i wont be here.. but in 20 years.. the third owner on.. will be here asking whoever how to fix her problems with the star mag.. lol ...

the bottom line in my garden was ALWAYS... ill do what i want.. and make my own mistakes. and learn from them ... and who cares what other think ..

ken

ps: your not throwing the kid out in the snow i hope.. lol... they need to be a bit older for that.. lol
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
one other thought... looking at you one foot bed..

my 22 year old star mag is about 15 feet tall.. and at lest 10 feet wide ... thats a much bigger footprint that you have room for ... form what little we can see in these pix..

btw.. what are the shrubs outside the fence that might look like lilac??? .. thats probably where a start mag should go...

ken

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