Zombie Magnolia trees, year 4

[jeffpas]

Here are the photos, two trees I planted about 7 years ago. They are silver leafed magnolia trees, and were expensive.

 

For the past 3 years or so they have basically looked like this, after what I assume was a hard winter.

The trees are both definitely alive, but they look terrible. The 'sun facing' side of the 1st tree looks pretty good, but from the back its completely hollow. They haven't appeared to have really changed at all from year to year- gotten worse or better. As you can see Tree #2 is growing up new shoots from the root, but that's going to take a long time.

 

I don't know what to do with these trees. Stakes and fertilizer, watering seem to make no difference. Its possible that other trees have grown up in the yard since and the bare side is not getting enough light to put out leaves, but not sure.

Chopping them down and starting over sounds pretty harsh, but I'm not really into the year-round Halloween skeleton look.

 

Edited April 19, 2016 by jeffpas

[Goaty]

You don't say your location. It could be a hardiness or win exposure problem. A few years ago round here exotics imported from Italy and other warmer climes was all the rage. Now you don't see them in garden centres. Simply because they work in very few places in the UK.

Magnolias tend to come from Eastern Asia. Which can be very hot and humid.

[timbernut]

I planted a magnolia in wet clay and it just languished like yours so a moved it to a freer draining spot and it immediately perked up and has grown a lot in the last 3 yrs

[Beardie]

It looks as if the first tree has simply given up trying to grow leaves where it can't get enough light for them. If this means the neighbour gets a better show than you, you can't blame the tree.

The second tree could be suffering from more or less anything. Drought, chlorosis, competition from the massive great pine behind it, whatever.

[gooseflight]

Magnolias tend to come from Eastern Asia. Which can be very hot and humid.

I'm assuming these are M. virginiana, also known as swamp magnolia. They are native to the USA.

 

1. Do you water them? The site looks dry.

 

2. They prefer acid soils. I see a lot of concrete. Do a pH test.

[jeffpas]

Sorry for the late response. Beardie I think you're right. The trees are not getting enough light and only leaf in the spots where the sun can get in.

Unfortunately taking out the nearby giant volunteer trees would run around $2,000 apiece. So its looking like either go with the Halloween look for life or declare defeat, get the saw and start over with some Paw Paws maybe.

Bummer, I can't say I could have seen that coming. Live and learn I guess.