Growing Magnolia Soulange

Magnolia Soulangeana is a member of the Magnolia family. In 1820, Etienne Soulange-Bodet, a French breeder, crossed 2 types of magnolias: lilac and nude. As a result of the experiment, a new frost-resistant species appeared, which was named the Soulange magnolia. Decorative culture is valued for the beauty of blossoming flowers, unpretentious care, resistance to a changeable climate. Thanks to breeding work, many varieties have been bred that will rarely leave anyone indifferent.

Magnolia Soulange is a deciduous tree with a smooth brown or grayish-ash colored bark. The height of an adult plant is 2-10 meters.

Magnolia foliage, as well as its buds, are impressive in size, narrow stipules. Obovate, or elliptical, leaves are leathery, whole-edged, emerald green in shape. Pubescence is noticeable on the seamy side.

It blooms for the 2nd year after planting. The flowers are bisexual, very large. Their diameter varies from 6 to 15 cm. Depending on the variety, flowers can have a wide variety of colors: from cream to lilac shades. The structure of the flower is unusual - it consists of 6-12 petals that cover each other. Magnolia blooms in late April - early May, before the foliage blooms. After flowering, you need to prune.

Magnolia fruit is a combined one- or two-seeded leaflet, shaped like a cone. Ripe seeds have a triangular shape and are colored black. After opening the leaflets, the seeds do not fall, but are held on the seed threads.

The decorative magnolia is especially effective in spring when the flowers are in full bloom. In addition, the plant is valued for its beneficial properties. The composition contains essential oils with antiseptic properties. They also alleviate the condition of rheumatism, hypertension, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Thanks to breeding work, many varieties of magnolia have been bred, differing in plant height, size, shape and tone of flowers, and color of foliage.

• Amabilis. The variety is a tall shrub that exudes a pleasant aroma during flowering. With good care, it reaches a height of 3 m. Flowering occurs in late spring. The inflorescences are small, only 8 cm. The flowers are goblet-shaped, composed of creamy white petals. Flowers and leaves bloom at the same time.

• Alba superba. A tall, compact tree, reaching a height of 4 m with age. Glossy leaves are painted bright green. The buds are tender, large, white. A barely noticeable pink stripe runs at the base of the petals. Flowering begins in late April and lasts 3 weeks, before the foliage blooms. High frost resistance.

• Galaxy. Tall variety. The tree has a straight trunk and a tapered tapered crown. Flowering begins in the first ten days of May. First, pink-scarlet flowers with a purple tint appear, and then foliage blooms. When flowering, the cultivar exudes a sweet aroma. It is valued for its long-lasting flowering.

• Susan's suite. Medium-sized hybrid, reaching a height of 3 m, with a neat, conical crown. With age, the tree becomes round. Cup-shaped buds are large in size. The petals are painted white on the inside, on the outside the color changes to purple-pink. During flowering, it exudes a pleasant, delicate aroma.

• Jenny. The variety is compact. The plant has a crown diameter of 1.5 with a height of 3 m. Flowering occurs before the foliage blooms. Tulip flowers are burgundy with purple hues. Thanks to the warm tone, the texture of the petals appears velvety.

• Linnaeus. Neat in shape, the undersized hybrid grows only 2 m in height. Flowering occurs simultaneously with the blooming of the foliage. The petals have 2 shades: on the outside they are painted in a purplish pink color, on the inside they are creamy white. The variety is characterized by slow growth, good frost resistance.

• Alexandrina. Magnolia of this variety is a sprawling tree with a gorgeous crown, up to 5 m in diameter and growing up to 8 m in height. Blooms before foliage bloom, flowering duration - 3 weeks, tulip-shaped flowers, pink-white shades. The dark green leaves are simply huge, their length reaches 25 cm. Prefers partial shade or open sunny area, in the shade it can wither. In the fall, it is necessary to mulch the soil in the trunk circle and cover it for the winter.

• Rustica Rubra. Differs in rapid growth. The crown is set low. The flowering is profuse and long lasting. The flowers are large, goblet, pink on the outside, white on the inside. Prefers fertile soil. The best place will be areas that are sheltered from the winds. For the winter, you need to take care of the shelter. It is recommended to mulch the soil in the trunk circle.

Success in growing Soulange magnolia depends on several factors: the choice of a place for planting, correctly selected soil and adherence to agricultural practices.

Before planting Soulange's magnolia, you need to take care of the correct location.

Planting in the shade is prohibited, as the plant will not show all its beauty and will gradually wither away. The older the tree, the less susceptible it is to sunlight. It should be borne in mind that 90% of the success in growing an ornamental crop depends on the choice of a place for planting.

The hybrid variety does not tolerate transplants, so you need to think it over right away. Landscape designers advise a solitary planting, that is, separately from other plants. In this case, the beauty of the magnolia will not be covered by the crown of other trees. Magnolia is a sprawling tree with a huge crown in diameter. This must be taken into account.

The plant prefers well-drained, light and moderately moist soil. When compiling the soil, it is necessary to take leafy soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 3: 2: 2. He does not like acidic substrate, so the acidity should not exceed pH 7.5.

When buying a seedling, it is important to keep the root system closed, in a container. Landing takes place at any time. It can be planted throughout the growing season. Magnolia does not like transplanting, so it is important to transfer the plant from the container into the prepared hole, after spilling a lump of earth so that it does not fall apart during transplantation.

In the first 3 years after planting the seedling, it is recommended to carry out a shelter for the winter. You can use straw, spruce needles. You should not dig deeply into the soil in the near-trunk circle, freeing it from weeds, since the magnolia has a superficial root system. Roots can be easily damaged.

Compliance with the planting rules guarantees the rapid growth of the ornamental tree, abundant and long flowering.

To ensure favorable growing conditions, special attention must be paid to watering, fertilizing and pruning the Soulange magnolia.

The plant has a superficial root system, therefore, one of the main conditions for good development is timely watering, since the tree will not be able to independently extract water from the bowels of the earth.

It is necessary to ensure that the water is completely absorbed into the soil, otherwise its stagnation can lead to rotting of the root system. Once every 2 days, you need to pour 10-20 liters of water under the plant, depending on the age of the tree.

Mulching helps to maintain soil moisture in the trunk circle. As mulch, you can use the bark of coniferous trees, sawdust, straw. Thanks to mulching, a favorable microclimate will be created and magnolia will grow well.

In hot summers, many gardeners resort to watering methods such as irrigation. The idea is to install garden sprayers next to the tree. During their work, droplets will fall on the foliage.

After planting the seedling, the plant is not fed, since the young tree has already been planted in fertile soil. With age, it is recommended to carry out 2 annual feedings:

• fertilizer is applied for the first time in early spring, until the buds have awakened;
• the second is held in mid-July.

The first top dressing helps to build up green mass, plant buds and abundant flowering, the second strengthens the plant's immunity, improves frost resistance.

Magnolia Soulange needs formative pruning. During the procedure, in order to thin out the crown, broken off, damaged and dry branches are removed. You need to prune immediately after flowering.

It is impossible to carry out strong pruning, as the buds are laid on last year's shoots. As a result of this procedure, flowering can be reduced.

The most effective propagation methods are cuttings and sowing of seeds.

Summer residents and professional gardeners propagate magnolia by cuttings. The main thing is to have a greenhouse.

Cuttings are harvested in early spring, making a cut under the kidney at an angle of 45 °. The lower leaves should be removed.

Cuttings root best in a greenhouse. It takes 2 months from planting to the appearance of roots. In mid-July, it is recommended to transplant the cuttings to a permanent place. It is at this time that magnolia enters a phase of active growth.

Magnolia can be grown from seeds. Success depends on the stratification done. The first seedlings appear 4 months after planting. The first 20 days of seedling life are the most important in the development of a healthy tree. At this time, the seedlings need proper care.

Necessary:

• maintain a stable temperature and humidity;
• provide additional lighting with fluorescent lamps;
• maintain soil moisture.

Unviable sprouts must be removed immediately so that they do not take nutrients from well-growing specimens.

Magnolia Soulange in rare cases is exposed to the invasion of pests and the occurrence of diseases.

All misfortunes can overtake the plant as a result of improper care.

• Some gardeners note that with a lack of iron in the soil, magnolia leaves turn yellow. The development of chlorosis is affected by the increased content of lime. To restore the leaves to their original color, it is recommended to increase the acidity level. For wood processing, you need to apply iron chelate.
• Excessive fertilization leads to soil salinity.As a result, the foliage begins to dry, the plant lags behind in development, and growth slows down. It is recommended to increase the frequency of watering by reducing the concentration of the applied fertilizers.
• With anthracnose and powdery mildew, the tree is treated with the preparations "Skor", "Maxim".
• To get rid of the spider mite, which feeds on the sap of the plant, the plantings are treated with the preparations "Aktara", "Fitoverm", "Fufanon", "Aktellik".
• During the daily inspection of the trees, traumatized areas can be noticed. This was "tried" by the rodents. Damaged bark should be treated with garden varnish.
• Moles are another pest. They undermine their tunnels under the root system, which has a detrimental effect on magnolias and often leads to the death of trees. To scare away moles from the site, they install homemade or ultrasonic scarers.
• As a preventive measure, in the spring, the plantings are treated with a solution of Aktellik or Aktara.

Observing the agrotechnical methods of growing Soulange's magnolia, you can grow a worthy beauty who will delight with flowers and captivate with her enchanting aroma all spring.

For advice on planting and caring for Soulange's magnolia, see the video.