Many gardeners literally get itchy fingers when a particularly beautiful magnolia holds out possible cuttings. Unfortunately, the propagation of cuttings in magnolia plants only succeeds in very rare cases. Instead, you should better switch to more promising methods such as lowering or removing moss.

Not very promising: propagation via cuttings or seeds

Anyone who was able to propagate a magnolia from cuttings literally landed a six in the lottery, because magnolia cuttings are very difficult to develop roots. If you still want to try it, we recommend the following procedure:

  • Cut off a shoot from the previous year that is still young and about 10 centimeters long.
  • Score the end to be rooted crosswise with a sharp and clean knife.
  • Dip it in some good rooting hormone.
  • Plant the cuttings in a slightly moist growing medium.
  • Keep the soil moist but never wet.
  • Pierce a translucent plastic bag and put it over the growing pot.
  • Put the pot in a bright and warm place.

Now you have to be patient, because the first roots will only form - if at all - after a few weeks. However, the probability of success is very low. Incidentally, although magnolias sometimes form seeds, seed propagation is also only possible with a lot of luck.

Moss off the magnolias or propagate them with a planter

The most promising way of propagating magnolias is to use sinkers or mosses, which is actually just one form of sinking. Leave the shoot to be rooted on the mother plant at least until the following year, better yet until the year after next. Then the young magnolia is strong enough for a separation. The reducers are best taken after flowering and leaf formation, when the plant has regained sufficient strength to put its energy into establishing roots. Remember to fertilize the mother plant regularly, for example with mature compost or a good rhododendron fertilizer.

tips and tricks

With evergreen magnolias, cuttings or lowers are not taken in early summer, but in late summer or early autumn, around between the end of August and mid-September.

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Trees