Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Magnolia tree losing leaves?

I have about a 40 foot magnolia tree in my yard, I don't know the specific variety. It's currently blooming, but losing a lot of leaves. (I'm raking up a trash bag full every week.) I live in South Mississippi, so climate shouldn't be an issue (they're native here.) It's getting plenty of water, and I have some fertilizer spikes I just put in along the dripline. I'm a notorious plant killer, so it's making me nervous. :)





Is it normal for a blooming tree to lose leaves in early summer? Or should I be worried about the number of woodpeckers that come to my bird feeder?

Magnolia tree losing leaves?
A serious question, I'm sure, but the answer has to be a resounding "NO" if you are asking about the Magnolia Grandiflora. Just about its only negative characteristic is the fact that the leaves seem to fall all year long and blow all over the lawn. In truth, they fall more at certain times of the year, one of which is the time when it is blooming. Most men who usually do most of the mowing of lawns hate the magnolias; I think one of the reasons the Grandiflora leaves are so bothersome is that they are thick, tough, large and slow to decompose. When you rake them, they take up lots of space in a bag or trash can.





The leaves fall off along the branches as the new growth comes on. Looking underneath, or inside a magnolia tree, you see lots of branches that are bare except for at the ends. Its just the natural process of the tree's growth. So, if your tree is losing a tremendous amount of leaves, especially in the spring, that is normal. They have to fall off to make room for new leaves.





Also, an unusually dry season will will cause the tree to lose leaves; even cause them to drop a year after the dry year because the tree was damaged from drought.





SO, DON"T WORRY ABOUT UR GRANDIFLORA..... IT"S PERFECTLY FINE.
Reply:I'm having the same problem. Mine seems to be coming back / putting on a lot of new growth, but I'm still pretty concerned. Hope you get a good answer. I starred the question so i can keep checking.
Reply:Talk to a man at a nursery in your area of see if there is an


arborist in your area.


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