Anyone have a Magnolia tree in their yard?

[Aimeedyan]

You know you're old when you're lusting after a TREE you saw at Costco

I've always loved Magnolia trees... they keep their leaves and have the most beautiful white flowers. Costco has them for $70, and they are mature enough that my dogs won't eat them (I ordered some teensy trees from Arbor Day foundation and they thought I had planted sticks in the ground for their own amusement!).

We are in a new construction with two pitiful trees in the front yard. I'd love a big shade tree in the backyard.

Have you been happy with your Magnolia tree? Did it grow fairly quickly? What kind of care did you have to give it? Are they fairly hearty? We are fairly talented in killing anything green...

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Magnolias are GORGEOUS. Ilove that their big, shiny leaves are evergreen. We have two tall ones that were already here (and tall) when we moved into our house 16 years ago. Ours don't bloom--I'm guessing they don't get enough sun (our yard has dozens of trees).

There is a little magnolia seedling in the acre or two of woods next to us--I take a look at it every once in a while and I have to say it seems to be growing very slowly.

 

[KirstenB]

Yes, I bought one 7 yrs ago that was about 6 ft tall. It's now easily 20 ft tall. It just started blooming 2 yrs ago. It's the classic, Grandiflora. I love it. The cuttings are great to use around the holidays as decoration.

 

[Pamlur]

Magnolia trees have always been one of my favorites. My husband, Yankee that he was, had never paid attention to them until I had one planted in our yard. He loved it! We moved in October, and he shopped until he picked out "the perfect Magnolia" for our front yard.

 

[DVCLiz]

I had three in my yard but two were really damaged in an ice storm, and the third is out of sight now that I have added on a garage. I am going to plant a few new ones in my backyard next year. I love them!!

 

[DumboPrincess]

They are gorgeous, but to me they create a lot of work. Maybe because ours is so large and old--my grandfather planted it some 40 years ago...but unless you rake the pods and leaves up continuosly it kills the ground cover around it.

Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[DarthKTrava]

We've got one next to the house. It was here when we moved in. It was rather gorgeous until the stupid power company-hired tree people hacked it all up to get it off the power lines. They hacked some off the top let and the bottom right, so now it looks retarded.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

They are gorgeous, but to me they create a lot of work. Maybe because ours is so large and old--my grandfather planted it some 40 years ago...but unless you rake the pods and leaves up continuosly it kills the ground cover around it...

Agreed - pretty, but too much work unless you are okay with dirt or moss under the tree...

 

[Thick]

they are good trees that have VERY long life spands

 

[daannzzz]

I hate my Magnolia tree. This neighboor hood had them planted (1957) in the parking strip. they all have grown at different rates and non of them are stately looking. The main issues is that in the spring when everything else is coming up out of the ground and flowering the Magnolia sheds LOTS of big heavy leaves so you have to constantly remove them so they don't kill everything. If you have a complicated landscape it is not the easiest chore to do.

 

[etoiles]

I like our magnolia tree. It was already pretty large when we moved into our house five years ago. It looks gorgeous when it blossoms which should be shortly!

We just rake the leaves in fall after they all come down and other than that we do not do anything around it. The lawn has been fine!

We did make a little circle of mulch and plant some hostas around the center of it underneath but that's about it!

 

[luvavacation]

Darn, I really dislike living up north! I can't grow the southern Magnolias, and while I do love seeing my Jane Magnolia in bloom, I really wish I could grow a southern Magnolia instead!

That and a Crepe Myrtle. This is why I will move south one day, so I can grow more plants!

 

[Aimeedyan]

Thanks so much for your opinions and experiences! It sounds like they are a pretty sturdy tree - which we need

Decisions decisions...