Does anyone have a Magnolia Tree?

[Pascha]

the ones with the big tulip flowers? Are they nice all year? What conditions do they like?

I have this one It is just coming into flower now then it in leaf for the rest of the year.

It is in sunny position and my soil is bad.

Have you looked around the area and seen any growing.

Yes I saw one in a garden close by. It was sunny but sheltered and my garden is sunny but windy. I have well balanced soil, not sticky or sandy.

Would it cope in the wind, do you think? Also what size is yours? The one I saw was abou 6ft so young I think.

Meant to add that if you do get one try to find one with a nice branch structure so you get a nice looking tree.

Yes it does cope with wind mine in quite an open position.

Mine about 6/7 years old and about 4 - 4.5ft tall. I tend to prune the branched off that are growing where I don't want them. I shall probably let it grow another couple of feet then prune to keep how I want it.

I see them in the parks. (So I guess they can deal with all types of weather).

I absolutely love them! Wish they DID flower the whole year round...!

They only flower around now - April/May

Needs an acidic soil. They also don't like too much sun in the early morning, as if it's frosty, it can damage the buds/flowers.

Hmm. But like an acer then. I have two acers nearby under the shade of a large beech. Would a magnolia like dappled shade? I have two options, tree shade and sheltered or sunny and windy.

I have one that is now about 3 metres tall, but it must be at least 20 years old. It's perfect for about two weeks of the year, then rather dull! We take off the lower branches to raise the canopy, if you prune the ends of branches, it tends to go a bit twiggy and mad. Ours is on neutral soil, dappled shade.

I've got one I love so much I put a picture on my profile! I spent ever such a long time on Sunday morning sweeping up our mainly paved front garden and the pavement outside because the fallen petals were a thick carpet and getting slippy. Needs doing again now and it needs an annual prune by a tree surgeon, so I guess its fairly high maintenance. I actually think they look better in the back garden if you have room.

Me! Me!!!!!

We were pivately renting but the house wasn't suitable for DD1 (SN) The Council here uses the bidding system, a house in the village came up, we bid....it's ours

It boasts a lovely mature Magnolia tree. Not quite as voluptous as bibbity's, but just as beautiful. It is a real joy to look out and watch the flowers open as they see the sun.

We have a huge one in our back garden - it must have been there for years. It's beautiful when in flower (for about 2 weeks) but otherwise I find it quite high maintenance. The petals cover our lawn when they fall - I'm raking them up twice a day at the moment. Then the seed pods drop off and then the big leaves fall in autumn. It's stopped our lawn growing at the back as the canopy blocks out the light. And my DH seems to be allergic to it! Sorry, rant over...

I'm sure a more reasonably sized tree would be much more manageable.

I don't have one, so wish i did. However a house a few streets away has one, and it's in the shape of a peacock! I know its sounds a bit , but it is so beautiful.

All the children want to walk that way when it's in bloom (like now).

Bibbity your tree is beautiful.

We do, but it's in early morning sun and then shade. It's not fully out yet though, but my star magnolia is, and that's under a tree!

I am from the North West and only enountered magnolia trees for the first time when I moved to London. I thought they were very exotic, lining the streets of Shepherds Bush.

DH and DD bought me one for my birthday last year, Magnolia Betty after my late horse. It is currently in bud, although others are flowering around here (back in the North West).

I am hopeful.

i have a magnolia stellata - need to link to a pic of one now i suppose. slow growing amd beautiful for a couple of weeks then just boring for the other 50 weeks!

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=magnolia+stellata&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=476&tbm=isch&tbnid=-cR3MyXPn6o1kM:&imgrefurl=toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Magnolia_stellata.htm&docid=-SiuwtiHzXFDHM&imgurl=toptropicals.com/pics/garden/m1/EleNZ/magnolia_stellata3el.jpg&w=656&h=480&ei=MH57T9GKGomx0QWL_P3BCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=612&vpy=153&dur=886&hovh=192&hovw=263&tx=135&ty=207&sig=112742834290640235627&page=1&tbnh=112&tbnw=149&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here

I'm from the north west too and there are loads round here... not just for londoners!! Mine is a mature one that came with the house. Gardener sorts it out but doesn't seem particularly high maintenance. It was lovely last week but we had random summery weather followed by howling wind & rain so I think all the flowers will have blown off by now.

There was a beautiful, large (10ft tall and spreading about 8ft wide) white magnolia tree when we moved here. Our garden is windy, but it had clearly done well here. Unfortunately, on the night of the strong winds a year (two years) ago, it was blown over

I've put a picture of our magnolia on my profile - ignore the carpet of fallen petals please!

GBR thats gorgeous! what are the spiky plants?

bibbityisaporker So is yours!

I love Magnolias, theres a mahoosive one near me thats just finishing flowering.

I asked for ID help on the spiky things, I think the general conclusion was some sort of euphorbia, but they've been hoiked out and gone in the green bin now!