How to Grow a Magnolia Tree in a Pot
Of the hundreds of varieties and species of magnolia, several are small trees or shrubs that adapt nicely to life in a container. Most magnolias can thrive in outdoor pots year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9. "Butterflies," Centennial" and "Black Tulip" are cultivars that grow well in pots. The U.S. National Arboretum's series of eight magnolia cultivars, nicknamed "The Girls," grow only 10 to 12 feet tall, are especially cold hardy and are suitable for outdoor containers as far north as zone 3. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Container
- Growing medium
- Hand trowel
- Water
- Fertilizer
- Pruning clippers or shears
Instructions
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Select a pot that is equally wide and tall, and at least twice the dimensions of the magnolia tree's root system at planting time. Clay pots are heavy but offer stability on windy days if you plan to keep the container outdoors all or part of the year. Choose a container that has good drainage.
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Fill the container with enough growing medium so that the top of the tree's root ball will be even with the rim of the container. Water the growing medium. The mixture will settle a bit, eliminating air pockets and lowering the soil level slightly. Take the magnolia out of its nursery container. If the roots are compacted, use the trowel to make three or four vertical cuts in different places of the root ball. Use your fingers to gently loosen the roots.
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Plant the tree in the container and finish filling the container with growing medium to about 1/2 to 1 inch below the rim of the container. Water the magnolia tree thoroughly. Spread mulch 1 inch deep over the top of the growing medium. Mulch helps retain moisture and insulate the roots.
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Water the magnolia tree regularly and deeply, especially after the initial planting. Container-grown trees require more frequent watering than trees in the yard. Stick your finger in the growing medium. If it is dry 2 inches deep, the tree needs a thorough watering. Water the tree until water begins to run out of the container's drainage holes. In hot weather, magnolias may need watering twice a day. If this happens, consider transplanting the tree to a larger pot.
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Fertilize the magnolia tree during the growing season -- early spring to late summer -- with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer. Follow package directions for the correct application amounts and timing. Use a fertilizer formulated for container-grown plants, if possible. Remove the topmost inch or two of soil in the spring and replace it with fresh growing medium to help replenish the nutrient level of the magnolia's container.
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Prune in the fall or after the magnolia finishes blooming. Limit pruning to eliminating dead wood, suckers and tangled branches. If the tree is getting too big for its container, either transplant it to a new container or prune the roots by a third and keep it in its current container. The latter method is similar to the bonsai technique for keeping trees small.
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Tips & Warnings
Plant the magnolia in spring or fall for best results and rotate the container occasionally, especially indoors, so that all sides of the tree get maximum sunlight.
Since containers do not have the insulation properties of the yard, protect the magnolia during winter. Add more mulch and wrap the container in blankets to protect the roots, or bring the plant indoors until spring.
Magnolias are litterbugs, dropping leaves, spent flowers and seed pods at different times of the year.
References
- Oregon State University; How to Grow a Tree on Your Patio; Judy Scott
- Learn 2 Grow; Tree-mendous Containers; Rich Binsacca
- Ohio State University Extension; Gardening in Containers; Jane C. Martin; 2000
- National Gardening Association: Maintaining Container Gardens
- "Fine Gardening": Magnolia Stellata -- Star Magnolia
- The U.S. National Arboretum; Magnolia Cultivars; January 2002
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
