Magnolia Tree

Mother in law has given me a very sad looking magnolia tree, I've had it sometime but I don't seem to be able to improve its condition, this is probably due to it being in a pot .
I'm thinking about planting it in the garden BUT I don't want it to get too big, is it possible to prune a magnolia to keep it fairly small? Or would I prune it then not get any flowers?
maybe I'd be better to buy a standard magnolia & take the potted one to Shineyland for the plant stall?

 

Yes you definitely need to take it to shineyland, it stands absolutely no chance in a pot, and will get far too big in your garden.

To be serious, I dont think many Magnolias are likely to do well in pots.
Not sure which Variety you have, there are some small ones, but even those are not good for pots, I dont think.

 

Thanks @pete, it's certainly not doing well in the pot , last year it had one sorrowful flower poor thing.

Looks like it's heading to Shineyland plant stall ....I heading for the tea & cake!

 

Hi Beckie,

I've just had a quick google and it looks like there ate a couple you could grow in containers, M. Grandiflora " Little Gem " and the M. Stellata cultivars.

Note though that I said containers not pots. It's recommended that they are about 3' deep and 4' wide. It says that they're more likely to grow as multi-stemmed shrubs rather than trees.

We don't have Magnolia ( have looked at them though ) but do have Acer, Salix ( Willow ) and Syringa ( Lilac ) growing like this and have never had any problems with them.

 

Hi @Anthony Rogers, thanks for your reply .
I've always loved magnolia trees, even as a child I wanted one! we had one at our old house which was lovely but sadly it was too established to move when we moved.
Maybe I should try a lilac, I always loved my nans lilac, I always wanted to take some of the blooms into the house but she said it was unlucky so I would fill my bucket with water & put some blooms in that, then place the bucket I the centre of the picnic table!

 

The Lilac we have is Lilac Prestoniae " Agnes Smith " , it has beautiful white scented flowers and only grows to about 4'. When established, it flowers in Autumn as well as late Spring.