Help! I "broke" my magnolia!

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andrealynne Geneseo, NY Jul 14, 2004

Can anyone tell me if I can save my one year old magnolia? A piece of fencing we were removing fell on it and bent it about 3 inches from its base. About half of its little trunk is still intact. I know it's silly- the "tree" is only 2 feet in height, but it was a difficult to find variety ("Brozzoni") and the nursery no longer carries it. Is there any way to save it without attempting to root a cutting?

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treelover3 Minneapolis, MN(Zone 5a) Jul 14, 2004

That depends...was the tree grafted and did the tree brake below the graft?

If the answer is yes to both questions, then you won't be able to save the "tree" without attempting to root the part that broke off (Magnolias are very hard to root, btw).

If the plant is a rooted cutting, then everything will be OK as the plant will sprout from what is left growing in the ground. (magnolias are not impossible to root if you have a greenhouse and a mist bench and the proper rooting hormones).
Good luck,
Mike

Post #951823
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andrealynne Geneseo, NY Jul 16, 2004

Thanks, Mike! I don't believe it was a graft, but I took a cutting anyway (I have some Rootone). I also taped and staked the trunk- just to see...If the upper portion looks dead in a few weeks, I'll snip it off at the break. It's great to find a forum with so many knowledgeable gardeners!
-Andrea

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Osteole Lamar, AR(Zone 7a) Jul 26, 2004

What is the outcome andrealynne?

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andrealynne Geneseo, NY Jul 27, 2004

It's too soon to tell if the cutting will root. There are a couple of buds below the break which are growing well and what appears to be a sucker growing from the root crown. The leaves above the break are dead, but the stem appears to be alive with some viable? buds. Hopefully it's
not a grafted tree. Thanks again, all. -Andrea

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