How to Shape a Star Magnolia Tree

Star magnolia (known botanically as magnolia stellata) is a small species of magnolia that blooms with white flowers in the early spring. It has a rather squat and round natural growth form with multiple small trunks or large stems. It can be pruned to resemble a multi-trunk tree or pruned very sparingly and left in its natural growth form. Star magnolia should be pruned in late spring or summer, immediately after bloom to prevent the loss of the following year's spring buds.

Things You'll Need

• Long-handled lopping shears
• Hand saw

Instructions

1. Establish your star magnolia in a classic tree form by shearing off all branching and suckers on the bottom third of all trunks, using lopping shears or a hand saw. Place all cuts just outside the slightly swollen branch collar to ensure proper healing of the wound.

2. Inspect your star magnolia regularly during watering or fertilizing to look for damaged, diseased, broken or dying limbs and foliage. Cut back any that you find to the point of healthy wood. Discard the cuttings.

3. Prune your star magnolia for height and spread if absolutely necessary by following the natural flow of the canopy. Remove no more than one-third of the canopy branching and foliage in any single pruning session to limit stress and prevent shock.

4. Thin the interior limb structure of the magnolia, if needed, to remove crossing or abrading branches or if the interior is congested and sunlight cannot easily penetrate.

References

• University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Horticulture