Description and characteristics of magnolia variety Susan, planting and care

Magnolia is an amazing plant that even survived the era of dinosaurs. But even now the culture continues to delight the eye with its magnificent colors. Magnolia varieties Susan is popular all over the world for its incredibly beautiful blooms.

Description and characteristics of magnolia Susan

Magnolia Susan is a tree whose height reaches from 2.5 to 6.5 m. The shape of the tree is pyramidal, becoming rounded as it grows. The foliage is a rich green hue, the leaves are large, thick and glossy.

The inflorescences grow upward, the blooming flowers are large, goblet-shaped. The diameter of the flower reaches about 15 cm. The inflorescence has six petals of a light pink hue. The blossoming inflorescences are very fragrant. The flowering period begins in April and ends in June. The lifespan of a tree is about 50 years. The variety was obtained by crossing Magnolia Liliaceae and Star Magnolia.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The advantages of the Magnolia Suzanna variety include:

• large and beautiful flowers;
• tree lifespan;
• aroma of flowers;
• unpretentiousness in cultivation and care.

The disadvantages include the fact that magnolia can only be grown in the south. The tree is a heat-loving crop and does not survive the frosty winters that occur in most regions.

Growing a plant

Growing magnolia is a pleasure. If you provide the plant with favorable growth conditions, you can enjoy beautiful and fragrant flowers for a long time.

What should the soil be like?

Magnolia does not like calcareous soil, so you will have to add peat to the soil if the area has such a substrate. It is also not recommended to plant the tree on sandy soil. Sandy loamy fertile soil or black soil is suitable for planting.

What should you pay attention to when landing?

It is recommended to plant the plant in areas protected from strong winds. It is best to plant the seedling in a sunny area that will receive regular shade throughout the day. It is not advisable to over-moisten the soil before planting. It is not recommended to plant seedlings in the spring. You can take a risk, but sudden spring frosts can destroy the plant.

The most favorable period for planting is October. At this time, the magnolia begins a period of hibernation, and the seedling tolerates planting more easily. The variety has low winter hardiness, so after planting, before the onset of cold weather, the seedling should be covered.

Landing technology

Planting a magnolia variety Susana:

• dig up the soil and mix it with wood ash;
• dig a hole to a depth of 70 cm;
• put the seedling in the hole and bury it;
• compact the soil near the trunk.

At the end of planting, water the seedling generously with warm water. During planting, it is not advisable to deepen the root collar. It should be at least 2 cm higher from the ground level. After watering, the seedling is mulched with peat.

Further care of the crop

Caring for the plant is not difficult. The main thing is not to forget about watering the tree and applying mineral fertilizers and organic matter. It is also important to think about covering your tree before winter sets in.

Proper watering

A feature of watering magnolia is that for 3 years after planting the seedling, it must be watered so that the soil is moist all the time and does not dry out. But at the same time, waterlogging of the soil should also not be allowed.

When the tree grows, you can water it several times a month. The larger the tree, the more water it requires. For irrigation, water heated in the sun is used.

Before watering, you can loosen the soil, but this must be done carefully. The tree's root system grows in such a way that all the roots are closer to the soil surface. To avoid damaging the roots, loosen the soil with a pitchfork.

What to fertilize and feed

In the first two years after planting a seedling, it does not require fertilizer (provided that sufficient fertilizer was added to the soil during planting). In the third year of growth, the substrate on which the tree grows is depleted, and fertilization is inevitable.

Ready-made mineral complexes for flower shrubs are suitable. You can also prepare the fertilizer yourself. To prepare it, urea and saltpeter are diluted in water (in a ratio of 20:15 g). The resulting solution is watered onto the soil next to the plant.

Plant pruning

As a rule, formative pruning of magnolia bushes is not required. In the fall, after the tree has flowered, the flower stalks and dry branches are cut off. The cut areas are lubricated with garden varnish to prevent the plant from getting sick. For cutting, use a sharpened sector so that there are no creases left at the cut points.

In spring, sanitary pruning is not recommended so as not to damage the tree. During this period, active sap flow begins, and any pruning manipulations can only do harm.

Wintering

Magnolia is a heat-loving plant, and frosty winters are destructive for the tree. Before the onset of cold weather, the lower part of the trunk is wrapped in warm cloth. And the soil near the trunk is covered with spruce branches.

Diseases and pests

The most common insects found on magnolia are aphids, spider mites, and scale insects. You can get rid of these insects on the plant by spraying with acaricides.

Another problem we have to deal with is rodents. If traces of mice appear on the bark, they are treated with a solution of Fundazol. And when the soil freezes, it is mulched. This will prevent mice from reaching the roots and trunk.

Sometimes yellow spots may appear on the foliage - chlorosis.This problem occurs due to the high lime content in the soil. To solve this problem, you need to add peat to the soil, soil from a coniferous forest, or water the soil with a special preparation that increases acidity.

Reproduction methods

There are several ways to propagate magnolia Susan:

• cuttings;
• seeds;
• layering.

If the plant is propagated by seed, the material is planted immediately after collection. Magnolia planting material is very poorly stored. The seed shell is very hard, so before planting the side walls are cut off with sandpaper or simply pierced with a needle.

The surface of the planting material is covered with a thin oily layer, so before planting it is carefully washed off with warm water and soap. Then rinse in clean water.

The prepared seeds are planted in the ground to a depth of 3 cm. The boxes with magnolia are put into the basement. In March, they are taken out and placed on the windowsill, on the sunny side. Within a year at home, the seedlings will grow by about 50 cm. Only after this are the seedlings transplanted into open ground.

When grown by cuttings, the cuttings are taken at the end of June, when the tree has finished flowering. They are cut so that 3 full leaves remain on top. The lower part of the cutting is placed in a solution that activates growth. After this, the branches are planted in a mixture of peat and soil.

Cover the boxes with cuttings and place in a warm place. The temperature at which roots appear on them is from +19 to + 21 degrees. After about 9 weeks, roots should appear. And in October, the cuttings are planted in the ground.

Another method of propagation is layering. In the spring, the lower branches are bent to the soil and buried. The branch needs to be secured with something. By autumn, the cuttings will produce roots.After a few years, they can be separated from the mother plant and replanted.

Possible problems during cultivation

Problems when growing magnolia Suzanne:

• Low soil acidity. The culture prefers to grow in soil with a high level of acidity.
• If there is an excess of nutrients in the soil, the foliage becomes covered with yellow spots and dries out. You can solve this problem by watering the plant generously once a week.
• It is not recommended to apply nitrogen in large quantities to the soil. This will increase the risk of roots freezing in winter.
• The soil should not be allowed to dry out. This can lead to spider mites appearing on the tree.

Growing magnolia is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The main thing is to follow all care recommendations, and then the tree will delight you with its fragrant flowers for many years, because magnolia has been growing for almost half a century.

Application in landscape design

The hybrid magnolia variety Susana is very popular in landscape design; the variety is especially often used to decorate embankments at seaside resorts. The tree looks great in urban environments. When magnolia enters its flowering period, it is impossible to take your eyes off the tree.