Pruning a Pyramidal Magnolia

Pruning helps keep plants healthy.

Pyramidal magnolia is a large, slender tree that has a recognizable pyramid shape when mature. It produces fragrant, white flowers and grows up to 30 feet high and 15 feet wide. Its branches grow down to the ground, creating a very untraditional tree shape. While a magnolia typically does not require it, you can prune the tree to give it a more traditional appeal. You also can prune back the pyramidal magnolia’s width slightly if it has grown too close to another feature on your landscape.

Things You'll Need

• Gardening gloves
• Clean pruning shears
• Handsaw
• Measuring tape
• Ribbon
• Tree fertilizer spikes

Instructions

1. Wear a pair of gardening gloves to protect your skin while you prune the magnolia. Its branches are packed densely; they might scratch you while you are working with the shears or saw. Measure the height up the pyramidal magnolia you would like to prune, and mark the limit by tying a piece of ribbon at that height.

2. Clip the tips of the lowest branches on the tree, using pruning shears. Continue clipping back until you are 1 to 2 inches away from the trunk. Depending on the thickness of the branches and your hand strength, you might need to remove the branches closer to the tree with a handsaw. If you are simply pruning the pyramidal magnolia’s width, use the shears to cut the branches back to a length you prefer.

3. Continue the clipping process until you have pruned all the branches you wanted to remove. Stop every few branches and look at the tree from a distance to be sure you still want to remove more. Do not paint the wounds left from removing the branches. This common practice traps bacteria against the magnolia and can lead to rot.

4. Feed the pyramidal magnolia, using tree fertilizer spikes per manufacturer’s instructions. The added nutrients will aid fast recovery from the pruning.

Tips & Warnings

• The best time to prune a pyramidal magnolia is during its dormant season, after fall. Pruning the tree at other times increases risk of infection.

• Avoid doing anything more to damage or shock the pyramidal magnolia for the rest of the season to avoid killing it.

• Never remove a branch flush with the trunk. While this might seem more aesthetically appealing, it damages the trunk and significantly reduces the magnolia’s chance of recovery. Keep the cut to the outside of the collar formed at the base of the branch.

References

• Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry: How to Prune Trees
• University of Florida: Dispelling Misperceptions About Trees
• Identification, Selection, and Use of Southern Plants; Neil G. Odenwald and James R. Turne