Magnolia Grandiflora

I have a small one of these, and it has one branch low down which if removed would leave a couple of foot of stem before the other branches, making a good tree shape. It's quite a big branch though and I was wandering if I could layer it before removal to get anew plant. Has anyone tried layering Magnolias?

 

I've not tried it but what have you got to lose.
If I had room I'd definitly have a grandiflora, the flowers are something else.
I think the ones you buy are grafted.

 

Yes, it is grafted, but as you say nothing to lose....except time and I have plenty of that!

 

I have just been reading about them in "Well tempered gardiner", CL says they love to be pruned but them make all new shoots and do not flower, so best to leave them alone (I think this is what I did to my Wisteria and fits it whith what pete said about it) Layering is a bit different to grafting so you could be OK.

I have it on my list of plants to aquire - Exmouth Variety.

 

That's the variety I've got. I'm not expecting flowers for a few years anyway, 10years old is the estimate. I've found a good site about layering:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8701.html
I've never tried air layering before, so fingers crossed!

 

Not so sure it would like it up here anyway, but If I came accross one I would be sorely tempted - doesn't take much to tempt me anyway!