Magnolia Tree Propagation

Magnolias are difficult to propagate.

Fossil records show that magnolias were growing almost 60 million years ago. There are more than 100 modern species, native to East Asia and the Americas. Magnolias are grown for their large, fragrant flowers that get up to 14 inches across. Cross-breeding of different species has led to the development of a number of hardy cultivars. Magnolias can be propagated from cuttings or from seed, as well as by layering and grafting.

Seed

Magnolia plants grown from seed may not grow true to type and can take up to 20 years to flower. Soak fresh magnolia seeds collected from ripe cones in water for several days. Remove their red outer seed coats. Place the seeds in a refrigerator for four months at 40 degrees Fahrenheit before sowing. Sow the seeds in compost formulated for seedlings and bury then 1/4-inch deep. Cover the soil with a layer of organic mulch at least 1 inch deep. Keep the soil moist until the seedlings appear.

Cuttings

Take cuttings from 1-year-old stems, cutting them off the plant where they join an older branch. Remove all but the top three leaves. Cut the remaining leaves in half to reduce water loss. Dip the lower ends of the cuttings into commercial rooting powder and plant in potting compost. Keep the compost moist and the surroundings humid for at least 12 weeks until the cuttings take root.

Layering

Bend a low growing magnolia branch until it touches the soil. Make a vertical cut through the bark of the branch where it touches the ground. Peg the branch down and cover with a mound of topsoil. Keep the protruding end of the branch off the ground by staking it in place with its tip pointing up. Sever the branch once the buried section of plant has produced roots after one or two years.

Chip Budding

Magnolias can be propagated using a grafting technique called chip budding. This involves removing a piece of bark from a magnolia tree and replacing it with a piece from another tree. The new piece of bark needs to contain a bud that will then grow into a branch with the characteristics of its parent plant.

References

• The Southern Garden: Southern Magnolia; Dr. William C. Welch
• Magnolia Society: Care and Propagation
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Magnolias; Gary W. Knox; 1994
• Harb 2000: Propagation Of Magnolias
• Magnolia Society: Chip Budding Magnolias; Charles Tubesing