Things You'll Need:
- Magnolia tree fruit
- Warm water
- Bucket
- Potting soil
- Pot
- Mulch
- Magnolia cuttings
- Gardening snips
- Peat moss
- Plastic bag
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Step 1
Collect seeds from a magnolia fruit in late September to early October, immediately after it has reached maturity. Place the cones on paper towels in a shady area and allow them to dry for several days, causing the cones to open.
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Step 2
Shake the pods to remove the seeds. Soak the seeds in a bucket of warm water overnight. Carefull remove the fleshy coating from the seed.
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Step 3
Plant the seeds 1/4-inch below the surface in a pot filled with potting soil. Mulch the top of the pot to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. Keep the soil moist until the seeds sprout.
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Step 4
Transplant the seedlings into a larger pot or outdoors. Seedlings will need indirect sun and shade during their first few years.
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Step 1
Find areas on a existing magnolia tree that are still soft wood. Soft wood branches are still pliable. You should be able to nick the bark easily with your fingernail. Cut some pieces of soft wood that are approximately 12 inches long and that ideally still have some leaves attached. Use gardening snips to create a clean, diagonal cut for best results.
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Step 2
Place each cutting in a pot that contains peat moss, which will act as a rooting compound. Half of the cutting should be above the soil line. Strip any leaves that will be below the soil line, but preserve any leaves that will stay above the peat moss.
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Step 3
Dampen the soil thoroughly and cover each pot with a clear plastic bag. This will ensure that the cuttings stay moist throughout the day. Place the pots in a shady location that receives indirect sunlight and lightly water each day to keep the rooting compound moist.
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Step 4
Look for signs that the magnolia cuttings have begun to root in about 4 to 6 weeks. New leaves on the branches are a sure sign that the cuttings have taken root. If you do not see any new leaves, gently expose the cutting below the soil line and check for roots.
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Step 5
Transplant the magnolia cuttings to a larger pot or outside once each cutting has begun to produce new leaves. At this stage, you can add commercial potting soil, compost or your own potting mixture to encourage the trees to grow.
