Description of magnolia variety Sulanzha, planting methods and care, pruning and preparation for winter

Magnolia is an ancient plant that grew back in the era of dinosaurs. Magnolia Soulange was bred at the beginning of the 19th century by the French breeder E. Soulange-Bode as a result of crossing 2 magnolias: liliaceae and naked. Landscape designers and gardeners loved it for its variety of varieties, early beautiful and abundant flowering.

Botanical description

The height of the Sulange magnolia, depending on the variety, varies from 2 to 8 meters. Grows as a deciduous tree (in the south) or shrub (in the north). Its branches begin to grow at the very base of the ground, forming a low-set, rounded or pyramidal crown. The light green leaves of the plant are smooth on top and pubescent below.

Large (up to 25 centimeters in diameter) goblet-shaped or cup-shaped inflorescences are the main decoration of magnolia. In color they are white, purple, white-pink, red, and can also be two-colored. They open in April-May, at a time when the leaves of other trees and shrubs are just beginning to bloom. Inedible fruits ripen at the end of September.

Classification

Magnolia species Sulanzha includes more than 2 dozen varieties. Description of the most decorative of them:

1. Alba Superba - the plant reaches a height of 3-5 meters. Large green leaves turn yellow in autumn. Delicate white inflorescences bloom in early May before the foliage appears. They look like tulips and emit a pleasant aroma.
2. Alexandrina - a feature of this variety is its spreading crown. Large, goblet-shaped pink-purple flowers (up to 15 centimeters in diameter) bloom in May at the same time as the leaves.
3. Lennei is a slow-growing magnolia bush, reaching a height of 5-6 meters. The inflorescences are large and dark purple on the outside. The branches of this variety do not freeze even in severe frosts.

Important! In order not to be disappointed with the result, you need to purchase planting material from nurseries or from trusted sellers.

Subtleties of cultivation

Many gardeners believe that Sulange magnolia is delicate and capricious, and do not plant it on their plots.But if you choose the right place for it and care for it in accordance with its requirements, the culture will respond with the flowering of beautiful, fragrant buds.

How to choose a landing site

A correctly chosen planting location is one of the main conditions for the growth and development of magnolia. The crop should be planted in an area protected from wind and midday sun. The older the magnolia, the less sensitive it is to bright sunlight, but it does not tolerate transplantation well, so it must be planted in a permanent place immediately.

Pit preparation and soil requirements

The soil in which magnolia is planted should be light, loose, neutral or slightly acidic. It is made up of the following components: garden soil, rotted manure, compost, peat, sand, wood ash. Planting a seedling is done as follows:

• a hole is dug with a diameter twice the size of the root system of the planting;
• a drainage layer of 15-20 centimeters consisting of broken bricks, expanded clay, and small stones is laid at its bottom.
• a layer of sand (up to 15 centimeters) is spilled on top of the drainage, then the prepared substrate;
• A plant is planted in the center of the hole.

The surface of the tree trunk circle is compacted a little and watered abundantly.

Landing Features

Since the roots of magnolia Sulange are shallow and superficial, the ground around it needs to be mulched with peat and then with the bark of coniferous trees. It is better to plant plants in the fall: during this period they are in relative peace, which contributes to their rapid establishment and good wintering.

Advice! The seedling in the container is first moistened with water, and then removed and planted in the ground together with the lump..

Tips for caring for magnolia

If the requirements for caring for the plant are met, it will delight others with its decorative appearance for a long time and there will be no need to take emergency measures to save it.

Watering and fertilizing

Magnolia Sulanja is a moisture-loving planting. Young seedlings aged 1-3 years especially need systematic watering. The soil is moistened with warm water, but care must be taken that it is not constantly wet.

2 years after planting, the plant begins to be fed. Nutrition with a complex of mineral fertilizers promotes the development of magnolia and reduces the harmful effects of negative weather factors. The procedure is carried out at the end of July: starting in August, the plant begins to enter a dormant state and no longer requires feeding.

Loosening the soil

Magnolia roots are located close to the surface of the soil, so it must be loosened carefully. The depth of tillage is 2-3 centimeters. It is better to use a fork for this, since other garden tools can injure the roots. The resulting weeds are removed manually.

Mulching

To preserve moisture in the soil, prevent weed growth, and also to reduce damage to the root system, the magnolia root circle is mulched. For this, peat, sawdust, coniferous tree bark, and straw are used. Cover the ground in the spring and renew the mulch during the season. Its permanent layer is 5 centimeters.

Trimming

In spring, remove broken, dried, diseased branches. If young branches are damaged by frost, they are cut back to healthy parts. In addition, branches that interfere with each other’s development are cut out: the weaker ones are removed. To prevent harmful microorganisms from getting into the cuts, they are treated with garden varnish.

Preparing for winter

Autumn care involves covering young seedlings under 3 years of age for the winter. To do this, after the onset of stable frosts, the soil is covered with a layer of mulch, and the trunk and skeletal branches are wrapped in agrofibre. Small bushes can be completely covered with covering material. As soon as there is a steady thaw in the spring, the shelter is removed.

Additional Information. Winter warming of the air is dangerous for magnolia: the buds that begin to wake up will be destroyed by subsequent frost.

Protection from diseases and pests

Although the Sulange magnolia is rarely exposed to the harmful effects of the environment, some diseases and pests can still overcome it:

1. Chlorosis. With this disease, the leaves of the plant turn yellow, but the veins remain green. This occurs due to excess lime in the soil. To save magnolia from harm, the soil is acidified with peat, soil taken from under coniferous trees.
2. Spider mite. It settles on the leaves, from which it sucks the juices, causing them to turn yellow and fall off. To get rid of harmful insects, magnolia is sprayed with any of the acaricides.
3. Rodents. Underground pests gnaw at the roots and stems of the plant at the very base. The affected parts are treated with garden varnish. To protect the magnolia from various rodents, it is covered only after the onset of frost: in such conditions, pests cannot build nests and damage the plantings.

In addition, magnolia soulangeana can be affected by fungal diseases. Most often this happens due to excess moisture. Treating the plant with any fungicide will help get rid of the scourge. For bacterial spot disease, magnolia is sprayed with copper-containing preparations.

Reproduction methods

Under natural conditions, magnolia is propagated by seeds; at home, vegetative parts of the plant are used for this purpose, and cuttings, propagation by layering, and grafting are used. The most common way to obtain a young seedling at home is cuttings. To do this you need:

• in summer, cut cuttings of two-year-old shoots;
• dip their lower ends in growth stimulator powder;
• plant in loose, light soil, water;
• cover the pot with the cuttings with film to establish greenhouse conditions under which roots quickly form on them.

Propagation by layering is another common way to get a young magnolia bush at home. To do this, the lower branches are bent to the ground, pinned, and sprinkled with earth. The place where the shoot comes into contact with the ground must be constantly moistened. A year later, the rooted cuttings are dug up and transplanted to a permanent place in the garden.

Use in landscape design

Magnolia Sulanja is a fairly large planting, so it will look good in single plantings against the background of a lawn. Under the canopy of its crown, you can place shade-loving plants: hostas, creeping conifers, ferns. In addition, the bushes are grown in tubs, which, if necessary, are moved to the place needed for decoration.

On a note. A plant grown in a pot will tolerate transplantation into open ground well throughout the season..

Growing magnolia Soulange is not difficult, you just need to take into account the superficial location of its roots, as well as the fact that at a young age it does not tolerate midday sun. By caring for it throughout the season, the gardener will be able to admire the beautiful flowering of the plant in early spring, at a time when many plants are just beginning to form flower buds.