There are several ways to increase the blooms of the magnolia in the garden. We show how to best proceed when propagating the magnolia.

You can find all information about the propagation of the magnolia in this article

As a real eye-catcher and beautiful tree, the magnolia (Magnolia) is predestined for propagation attempts. Even the fruit of the tree looks temptingly artistic. And maybe you even want to plant a small avenue or hedge of magnolias.

Magnolias are expensive to buy, but there are many ways to grow this beautiful tree yourself. We have summarized the correct procedure for you here.

Propagating Magnolia by Seeds

The extravagant fruits of the magnolia appear in autumn. The bright red fruits then spill out of the large infructescence, which look as if someone had polished them to a high gloss. These fruits can be used to grow young magnolias. Since magnolia seeds only germinate after they have experienced a prolonged cold spell, you cannot plant the fruit just like that. One option is to simply leave the fruit outside over the winter and then sow it in the spring. The second variant is to put the fruit in the freezer for two to three months. If the fruit has had a sufficiently long period of cold weather, you can soak it in warm water and remove the pulp. Black or brown seeds come out.

Prepare a pot of suitable soil and plant the seeds. They may be covered with soil and should always be kept moist. Here it helps to put a transparent plastic bag over the container. It is best to place the container with the seeds in a bright place outdoors. If there are still occasional sub-zero temperatures outside, then you should find an unheated spot without frost for your budding seedlings. It can now take several months until germination.

The black or brown seeds are covered with suitable soil and kept moist

The beauty of growing from seedlings is that you can grow multiple plants at once and you canBeing able to watch growing up from the very beginning. However, it can take many years for a self-sown magnolia to start blooming. You have to be patient for up to ten years. In addition, the success rate of propagation from seed is quite low.

Summary of Propagating Magnolia by Seed:

  • Expose fruit to a frost period of about three months, either outside or in the freezer
  • Soak the fruit in warm water to remove the pulp better
  • Sow black or brown seeds into prepared soil and cover with soil
  • Place the planter in a bright and frost-free place, ideally outdoors
  • Germination can take several months

Propagating magnolia by cuttings

Magnolias don't like it when you cut them. It's still worth it to get a cutting from them. If you want to prune your magnolia this year anyway, take the opportunity. You can certainly find a branch that is suitable for a cutting. It should still be young and green and should be cut to a length of about 15 centimetres. Now put the offshoot in slightly acidic potting soil. If you keep the soil nice and moist, you may soon be able to see the cutting taking root and growing. It is best to leave the pot with the cutting outside in a bright place, but protect the soil from direct sunlight and heat. Unfortunately, magnolia cuttings are not as reliable as those of currants (Ribes) or rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), but this method can still be worthwhile .

Propagate magnolia by lowering

Right after flowering is the right time to propagate magnolias by layering. Choose a branch that can be easily bent down to the ground without breaking and that is still young and elastic. The closer it grows to the ground, the easier it is to bend down. Now select a place on the front part of the branch where the future plant will take root. Now use a sharp and disinfected knife to cut the branch at an angle (please not too deep!). Do this several times and on all sides. Now make a small hollow a few centimeters where the cut part of the branch would touch the ground. You should put the branch in there and fill up the cavity again so that the branch is covered with soil at all the scratched points, but the front end of the shoot should still be sticking out.To keep the whole thing from snapping back up, you can place a stone on top to weigh it down. It can easily take a year for the sinker to take root. Only then can you separate the connection between the mother plant and the planter and move the little seedling.

The submersible should have the shoot tip sticking out of the ground while the scored areas are underground

Tip: You can save yourself moving if you plant the lowering plant in a large pot with soil instead of in the ground. This way you don't have to dig up the little plant and protect its delicate roots.

Summary of propagating magnolia plants:

  • Select an elastic branch that bends to the ground
  • Slightly scratch the branch in the front part several times
  • Dig a hollow in the ground or in a prepared pot
  • Put the cut part of the branch in the hollow and cover with earth
  • Place stone as weight
  • If the sinker roots after about a year, separate from the mother plant

Propagating magnolia by mossing

The fourth and perhaps most challenging variant of magnolia propagation is mossing. The good thing is that you can use this method to get a relatively large plant from the mother plant. Again, the optimal time is right after flowering. First select a shoot. This should be about an inch or two thick at one point. Anything after this spot will later become your new sapling. Now take a sharp and disinfected knife and carefully remove a two centimeter wide strip of bark around the branch. Really only remove the bark, the water-conducting wood should be damaged as little as possible. Now generously wrap damp moss around the spot. To keep the whole thing nice and moist, you should now put a plastic bag over it. It will probably take three to five months before roots develop. Then you can remove the bag and cut the branch. You can now plant the front part with the roots in a prepared pot with soil.

When the moss is removed, the supply of nutrients is interrupted, but not the water supply - so the shoot lives on for the time being and tries to reach the ground with its roots

In order for the magnolia you have cultivated to develop into a magnificent magnolia tree, it is advisable to cover the plant with compost or withwith a primarily organic long-term fertilizer in organic quality, such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer.

Conclusion: The best way to propagate magnolias

Magnolias can be propagated either by seed, by cuttings, by layering or by moss. So that you can decide on the right method, we have summarized the most important things for you again.

Propagating Magnolia Summary:

  • Magnolia propagation is quite time-consuming - all methods take several months to a year
  • Propagation methods: From seeds, by cuttings, via layering or by mossing
  • Propagation via layering or mossing is most successful; it is easier to make sinkers
  • The best time for propagation is always in spring right after flowering (except for sowing, of course)

You can find out how best to plant magnolias in our special article.

Category:

Trees