When and how should I prune a magnolia to keep it smaller?

[ClawsandEffect]

There is a magnolia in my garden that I want to cut back to keep it smaller, but don't know how to or when is the best time.

It's currently up to about head height and I'd prefer to keep it at about half that size.

Can anyone advise please?

Magnolia are one of the few things which really dont like being pruned.
I would either leave it unless there is a specific branch which is causing an issue or take the whole thing out and replace ir worh something else.

@ClawsandEffect Have a look on the RHS website about magnolia pruning, some information on there about when and how to do it.

I have a large magnolia stellata that grows into the path and I have pruned it may/June last year and this year and it’s been fine - I haven’t read the advice though!

Mine is about 5m tall and about 4m wide, apparently you need to treat them like an unexploded bomb. Mine is about 25 years old and glorious.

You trim them in summer unlike every other tree. Mine is deciduous so I trim mine July/August and I plan the cuts as I take off branches back almost to the trunk but mine is huge and dense with loads of branches. If yours is well established it can cope better but just be warned you might shock it. I would still risk it though. If you trim it in winter it bleeds a lot of sap.

The one thing it may well do though which mine did, it can grow water shoots so we reduced the crown on ours (arborist) but it responded by becoming even thicker with water shoot branches so it is even more glorious than before but I will be trimming it back this summer as it is trying to also be 5m deep.

To be honest, I don't really want it. BUT it's there so... I've read that I prune where the branch joins the trunk?

I also want to reduce the height but am not sure how to go about that.

I'm going to give it a go next month, because I read that July is a good time if it's not an evergreen.

It's not going to stay 'half head height' whatever you do! Do you know what type it is- has it flowered yet?

Not sure of the type. White, wide petalled flowers. Flowered end April but the blooms more or less blew away within a week. It's very well leaved now.

It was there when I moved in and although I'd hate to just dig it up, I only really want it if it stays smaller because the space for it just isn't big enough for a bigger tree/bush.