I Have A Magnolia Tree That Came Up From A…
Brenda Asked
I have a magnolia tree that came up from a tree that is about 30 years old. I planted it about six years ago and it has never bloomed. It is about 10 feet tall. Will it ever bloom?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Brenda in Kentucky: There are a number of different factors that can contribute to your magnolia not blooming. Are you growing a Saucer or Sweetbay magnolia and is the original tree single-trunked or multi-trunked? The reason I ask is because if it is single-trunked it is likely grafted. This means it is growing on a rootstock of another tree. To put in simple terms, the bottom of the tree and the top of the tree are actually two different trees. Growers do this to manipulate hardiness, disease resistance, and size as well as incorporate other desirable characteristics that the original tree may not have. If this is the case the younger tree will have different qualities than your original tree. You mentioned that the younger tree came up from the original one; does this mean there was a sucker that you dug up and planted or did it start from seed? Seedlings can take 15-20 years to begin blooming, which is why they are typically propagated from cuttings. As long as it continues to put on new growth and is given the proper amount of sunlight and nutrition, it should eventually bloom. If gardening teaches us anything, it is patience!
