Magnolia Tree Problems, Brown or black leaf patches may appear on the leaves of a stressed magnolia tree. Like many other attractive trees and shrubs, when the issue gets too bad, the leaves fall off the tree, leaving it almost completely leafless.
Do your magnolia trees seem a little more worn out than before? With these widely used trees, you may encounter a variety of problems. This article examines the most typical issues that arise when cultivating magnolia trees.
Leaf and Branch Dieback
This leads us to the dieback of branches and leaves. First, don’t include leaf loss that occurs naturally in the autumn on deciduous trees or the early summer on evergreens before blossoming. If entire branches begin to turn brown and lose their leaves when the leaves change seasons, there may be a more serious issue.
Some of the outside limbs might have been injured by frost if your winter was extremely cold. Evergreen magnolias can withstand quite a bit of cold, but persistent exposure to extremely low temperatures can kill off the younger growth.
Solution:
Remove any dead limbs from the tree and give it time to recover after the danger of cold weather has passed. The fertilizer will help the tree produce new, healthy growth, so by the end of the summer, it should have returned to normal.
Flower Discoloration
The lifespan of different kinds of magnolia blossoms varies. Some people, like M, bloom in the spring. Soulangeana, sometimes known as the Japanese Magnolia, whose purple blossoms can linger up to a week.
It’s most certainly a climatic problem if the blooms are opening and already show signs of browning or if they appear wilted from the start. Again, a magnolia may become stressed by excessive heat or cold, which could impact its blossoms.
Solution:
Nothing much can be done about the weather. A healthy magnolia will respond to environmental stressors the least. When there is a severe heat wave or drought, remember to water once a week.
It is preferable to put your magnolia in an area that offers some protection from freezing winds if you live in a particularly cold region. Usually, it’s not the actual temperature shift that causes the greatest damage, but the cold winds.
Shriveled Leaves
If you see leaves starting to curl inward and shrivel, you most likely have an infestation of insects. The sap of magnolia leaves attracts a variety of insects, including thrips, scales, and aphids.
They will start to curl inward as they drain the sap from the leaves, which can be ugly but usually poses no risk to the tree’s health. When a tree reaches maturity, it can typically withstand insect attacks with minimal overall harm to its general health. But if the tree is young or heavily infested, it might not survive.
Solution
Generally speaking, no treatment is required because pesticides harm both helpful and harmful insects. Most natural predators will take care of the issue for you once they locate the pests.
Applying neem oil or insecticidal soap to a severe infestation will help stop its spread. Treatment of pollinators at night may result in less harm. When the tree is in bloom, try not to treat it.
Not Flowering
One possible reason for a magnolia tree’s inability to blossom is its exposure to light or the pH of the soil. In full sunshine, most types will produce the greatest number of flowers.
While a little more difficult, soil pH may typically be changed without transplanting. Magnolias prefers somewhat acidic soil. For the tree to benefit the most from fertilizer and soil nutrients, the soil’s acidity helps break them down.
Solution
Choose a spot for your magnolia that will allow it to enjoy six hours of direct sunlight each day. A soil test can provide you with the answers you need if soil pH is the problem. A pH of about six is ideal for magnolias.
Add organic material, such as compost, pine mulch, or manure, to your soil to increase its pH. Although they are usually more expensive, soil acidifiers are also available. Despite working more quickly, they do not last as long as adding organic materials to the soil.
Yellow Leaves with Brown Edges
If your exquisite magnolia leaves seem faded and yellowed, with brown, dry edges, it’s the weather’s fault. It may seem odd to suggest that extremely cold or extremely dry conditions would have the same effect, yet that is exactly what happens.
Drought has the same effect on foliage that cold, strong winds do. The leaves have those dry, blackened edges that look as though they have been scorched because of how quickly the water evaporates in these circumstances.
Solution
The best course of action is to remove any damaged growth with caution while tending to the tree for a while. Once the damage is done, there isn’t much more to be done.
During a drought, providing the tree with the right amount of water will assist avoid some of these problems. If the tree is tiny and immature, you can also cover it if you anticipate really cold weather.
Black Mould on Leaves
It is common for garden magnolia trees to develop black, sooty mould. If you notice a thin film of black mould on the undersides of leaves, honeydew is most likely the culprit. An insect invasion produced this sticky, delicious material.
Yes, that’s correct—it’s bug droppings. Insects that feed, such as mealybugs, aphids, and scales, leave behind sap that creates an ideal habitat for the growth of sooty mould.
Solution
Unless you address the fundamental cause of this problem, it will continue to recur. Although black sooty mould won’t always destroy an established tree, it can prevent photosynthesis, which will slow the tree’s growth and cause overall problems.
The black, sooty mould will eventually go on its own, but cleaning it by hand is necessary. The tree’s health may deteriorate as a result of the interval. Therefore, it is best to step outside and use a damp cloth to remove as much of it as possible.
Defoliation
Caterpillars are another frequent problem with magnolia trees. The leaves are a favourite food source for the larvae of many moth and butterfly species. Magnolia leaves are a food source for the larvae of the fruit tree leaf roller, autumn webworm, and cotoneaster webworm.
In general, a mature magnolia may host these insects during their larval stage without posing a considerable risk. However, if the infestation is severe enough, these insects can cause enough damage to the tree to make it unhealthy overall.
Solution
Using clean hand shears, remove all damaged foliage. If you find any egg masses in the trunk or branches, remove them and dispose of them by putting them in a pail of soapy water.
Fertilization, trimming, and watering are examples of good hygiene measures that will keep your tree robust so it can withstand the damage these insects bring.
Unusual Bark Growths
The following three conditions may manifest as abnormalities in your magnolia tree’s bark:
- Wood decay
- Canker
- Wet wood
Slime flux, sometimes called wet wood, is a bacterial disease. The tree will usually eventually heal itself. However, if the tree is already facing other problems, this disease may exacerbate its decline.
Lesions of decaying tissue are the visible result of wood degradation in the tree trunk. This fungal disease may cause the interior of the trunk to degrade over time. Rainy or extremely humid conditions are usually the cause of this. In addition to leaf or limb death, you might see mushrooms growing around the tree’s base.
Solution
Prevention is the best defence against these issues. When I say that, I mean providing proper tree care. By providing your tree with the appropriate quantity of water, fertilizer, and sunlight exposure, you can help it grow strong and resistant to disease.
The best course of action in dealing with these problems is to remove the contaminated wood. Treating in cool, dry conditions will help maximize therapy and control the spread.
Discoloured Foliage
Discoloured, spotted, or brown lesions on leaves might be the result of a few different disorders. The most typical ones are:
- Verticillium wilt
- Leaf spot
- Leaf blight
Phyllosticta magnolia is the fungus that causes Phyllosticta leaf spot. The symptoms include little black or purple patches that gradually grow into larger spots with a white core and halo.
A waterborne bacterium called blight can cause branches to lose their tips. Verticillium wilt is the third and most dangerous disease. Foliage may appear wilted, and leaves will change from yellow to brown. To identify this problem, a soil test is required.
Solution
Sadly, there is no treatment for verticillium wilt. Mature trees always grow slower, even though they might eventually outgrow the ailment. It’s unlikely that new trees will survive. Considering that this fungus develops in the soil, trees that become infected with it should be removed and disposed of. The fungus has a maximum lifespan of five years in the soil.
A copper-based fungicide can be used to treat phyllosticta to control the infestation. This should aid in disease control, as should careful pruning. In most cases, it doesn’t destroy an established tree. An advanced infestation may kill a younger tree.
Dropping Leaves
If you notice that your magnolia is dropping leaves in the autumn, it may be a deciduous species. This is a natural event that happens once a year. Your tree is getting ready for winter; it will probably bloom and regrow in the spring. You’re blessed!
If your magnolia is an evergreen—like the well-known Southern Magnolia—it will periodically lose some of its leaves naturally. If more leaves fall at the same time, flowers probably won’t be far behind. It’s not concerning; this is just the tree’s method of directing its energy towards the blossoms.
Solution
Usually, there is no need to respond to this problem. Remain calm and relish the blossoms that your exquisite magnolia tree is about to yield. On evergreen magnolias, note where the leaf drop is located. It will shed its oldest leaves when it is ready to blossom. There’s probably another problem if leaves start to drop off in large quantities.
Slow Growth
Magnolia trees are slow-growing trees in the first place. One can anticipate growth of one to two feet per year; smaller trees attain maturity in roughly ten years, while larger species can take up to sixty years to reach their maximum height.
There could be several reasons why your magnolia is developing slowly, such as insect infestation or malnourishment. If you have ruled out every other growth-inhibiting factor on this list, then nutrition is probably the issue.
Solution
Fertilizers are the succinct response. First, though, check the pH of your soil. The nutrients in the fertilizer won’t break down in a way that benefits the trees in an overly alkaline environment.
Throughout the growing season, magnolias require two to three applications of a balanced fertilizer. In early spring, late spring/early summer, and mid-to-late summer, apply a granular fertilizer around the base of the plant. Fertilization is very important in the early stages of a tree’s existence.
Conclusion
Magnolias are typically hardy trees that, given the proper planting conditions, require relatively little upkeep. Act quickly to save as much foliage as possible and give the tree the best chance of recovery if you notice the first signs of any of these conditions.