Southern Magnolia in Brooklyn?
What are the chances that a southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora, survives in our climate? What about in a container? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I received a small specimen as a gift and would love to give it a try, but really only have space to try it in a container.
What are the chances that a southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora, survives in our climate? What about in a container? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I received a small specimen as a gift and would love to give it a try, but really only have space to try it in a container.
Minard is right, completely different trees with different tolerances. I haven’t seen any Grandiflora in the area, only down south where they can become enormous 40 foot specimens.
Solidago, I will definitely check that poor scraggly tree out.
There’s an evergreen Magnolia in a container on Union Street between 3rd Avenue and Nevins. It’s been there a few years – they wrap it in burlap in the winter I think. It is looking kind of scraggly at this point however.
Some of you are mixing up the Japanese Magnolia with the Grandiflora. The latter is evergreen and is grown more for its beautiful foliage and shape than for the flowers. The former is deciduous and flowers in the spring prior to leafing out, the flowers are very prominent. There is also the Magnolia Virginiana or Sweetbay. A much smaller tree with multiple stems. It may grow well in containers.
Magnolia Grandiflora grow well in Brooklyn. They can take cold and snow but they need to be protected a little from wind and they need a lot of sun, both in winter and summer. I doubt they can be grown in containers anywhere. They are very large trees.
i’m no botanist by a long shot so i have no idea the variety or type but i have spotted a few lovely magnolia trees on the place streets in carroll gardens. they are really nice.
In my research of this important topic (!), and with the info supplied in particular by VINCA, I found that there are a number of more hardy varieties (Ann, Betty) that are do well in our area. They don’t grow as large as the original Southern Magnolia variety, which can grow 50-80 feet. The Southern Magnolia, which is pretty sensitive to cold, technically can tolerate zone 7, Brooklyn. If I had a nice spot in the garden, I would plant it there, since everyone seems to rave about the Southern Magnolia. So I am going to put in a container this fall, wrap it up, keep it out of the wind, and hope for the best.
Well, Dave is certainly right about the mess that flowering Magnolias make! After the stunning flower show which, yes, is awfully brief, it’s weeks of cleanup thereafter. Definitely something to think about. Still, we love the tree and don’t really regret having it.
Do NOT get a deciduous flowering magnolia. Yes, when they bloom they are beautiful but that lasts only about a week or two. They drop a lot of stuff year round. First, they drop a covering for the flower that rots quickly into a slimy mess. Then, after the two weeks of flowering, the flowers drop and they are a real mess.
I know, I have one about 30′ tall in Philly. It’s especially annoying because it drops all of this stuff throughout the spring, summer and fall on a small yard patio and you are constantly cleaning it up.