Magnolia Grandiflora - from seed

Hi All,

i came accross a beautiful Magnolia Grandiflora tree today and noticed some large gree pods on the floor. so i scooped them up.

i'm looking for some advice on how best to sow the seeds. also whats the best way to open the pods without damaging the seeds inside?

thanks
zac

 

forgot to subscribe :-)

 

It dont look ripe to me.
Its probably not been pollinated so its just fell off early.

Cant say I've ever seen a ripe Grandiflora seed case, but with most Magnolias the seed are sticking out the case when ripe and often brightly coloured

 

arr i did wonder. i cut one pod open last night only to find tiny little seeds. i think they are surposed to be large seeds arenâ??t they? about the same size a piece of sweet corn?

ok so i gotta keep my eye on the tree and wait for a pod to change colour a bit more. probably talking about august time ?

thanks
zac

 

Hi Zac

My Mum rooted some cuttings from Magnolia Grandiflora quite easily. She simply put some small side shoots into a pot, using compost mixed with sharp sand.

 

really? when you say side shoots... can you explain a little more... i've never taken any cuttings before.

thanks
zac

 

Hi again Zac

First of all, I had better say that my Mum's methods of propagating are a little unorthodox. She seldom bothers with gardening books or the 'right' way of doing things, she just has a go and waits to see what happens. What has amazed me is just how often she has been successful, even with so-called 'difficult' plants. Magnolia grandiflora has a branching habit. What you're looking for are young green shoots (usually described as 'half-ripened', because they are this season's growth, rather than older material) which you can remove from the parent plant and use as propagating material. This is easier to understand with a picture in front of you. I'll try to take a shot of my magnolia later. You're welcome to some cuttings from my tree, although it is looking a little sorry for itself at the moment. It doesn't like my chalky soil, so I am having to treat it with sequestered iron to make conditions more acidic. Last season the leaves turned a sickly yellow and many died altogether. But it's making a brilliant recovery now!

July is apparently the best time to take cuttings. You have to be patient - they do take some time to root.

 

Thanks for the clear instructions. I'll revisit the tree this weekend and see what I can get. I'll post back with some pictures to show how I've cut them. Thanks again
Zac.

 

Thanks for the clear instructions. I'll revisit the tree this weekend and see what I can get. I'll post back with some pictures to show how I've cut them. Thanks again
Zac.