How to Graft a Magnolia Tree

Magnolia trees have dark, glossy, green leaves and huge cup-shaped white flowers. They are tall and impressive trees and make an excellent centerpiece in a garden. Magnolias can be propagated several different ways, including chip budding. This involves the implanting of a bud from a stem of one tree that has desirable characteristics, such as prolific blooming, into the trunk of another more hardy and disease resistant tree, commonly referred to as understock. The two will grow together to form one plant. Chip budding is a relatively easy way to graft a magnolia bud to small root stock.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife
• Rubber band strips

Instructions

Creating the Graft

1. Collect a branch with fresh buds from the desired magnolia tree. The branch should be taken from the previous season's mature growth and can be up to 1/2 inch in diameter. Gather the branch while the tree is dormant, before the buds sprout.

2. Remove the bud branch from the tree and cut off any leaves. Store the branch in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper towel, placed in a sealed plastic bag. The chip budding graft itself can then be performed during the summer.

3. Cut a bud to be grafted from the branch, making a downward cut starting about 3/4 of an inch below the base of the bud. Then make another similar downward cut a above the bud, slicing under the bud all the way down to the first cut, forming a chip. Do not let the bud chip dry out.

4. Make a similar cut in the trunk of the understock. Now place the chip on the cut on the understock so that the cambium layer of the chip comes in contact with the cambium layer of the root stock.

5. Wrap the trunk tightly with rubber band strips to hold the bud chip in place. Do not cover the bud. Paint the rubber band strips with grafting compound.

6. Check the bud after two weeks to see if the graft has taken. The bud should remain dormant until next spring.

7. As the bud starts to grow, cut off the stock above it. Remove any shoots sent out by the root stock to encourage the new bud to grow.

8. Check the bud after two weeks to see if the graft has taken. The bud should remain dormant until next spring.

9. As the bud starts to grow, cut off the stock above it. Remove any shoots sent out by the root stock to encourage the new bud to grow.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to label your graft with the origin of both the root stock and the bud.

References

• Chip Budding Magnolias
• Magnolias
• Chip Budding