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Can this Magnolia be saved? #869107
Asked May 19, 2024, 1:48 PM EDT
We've had a magnolia in our backyard (Northern Hays County, TX) for eight years -- planted as a young tree so probably a few years old at that point. It did very well, but last summer's drought (2023) was brutal, and we thought we'd lost the tree. Still, this spring some life is clearly going at and near the base. Is there any hope at all the rest will recover if it give it a few years? (I think I might already know the answer, but perhaps there's hope...) -
Thank you -- mj
Hays County Texas
Expert Response
Hello MJ,
This is very severe drought injury. You could prune out all the dead branches and stems and allow the remaining shoots to redevelop, but I suspect that the tree will be heavily disfigured and unattractive. My advice would be to cull this tree and start over. Perhaps be a bit more selective on a species that can tolerate drought and heat. And prepare the soil well so that it can hold moisture (till the planting area and incorporate compost; apply mulch as a groundcover over the root zone to conserve water).
Good luck,
On May 31, 2024, at 16:21, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
