Give me your idea on this mini Magnolia problem ...

My son has a "dwindling" health problem with his mini Magnolia. He lives in Charlotte and the tree is at least 10-15 yrs. old. For several years he says it has been going downhill. It is about 12 ft. tall. He has a lessening of leaves every year, barely bloomed some last summer with the drought conditions, and says that right now he can't see any emerging leaves. It is mulched well and there seems to be no obvious openings in the bark. If I have to I can get a photo of it to post so you can take a look at it.

Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I remember once at the Duke Gardens one of the landscapers told me that the magnolias suffer there because of foot traffic. Is it planted somewhere where its roots are maybe trampled or driven over?

I used to landscape for a woman that believed strongly in feeding her trees regularly, and even the blighted dogwoods stayed pretty healthy in her yard. Has he tried dumping a few bags of composted cow manure around the base?...that should help no matter what the problem, in my unrefined opinion

Thanks for your opinions on the Magnolia. Is it necessary for you guys to take a look at it?

Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Probably worth trying some epsom salts on it too.

Karin,

I know very little about trees, but someone else may be able to take one look at it and tell.....so after the thing gets fed, if you could take a picture.....

Years ago we bought a home with a beautiful crab apple in front. It was at least 10 years old at that point. Like your son's magnolia, it slowly began to decline. I had a number of horticulturists and arborists look at it and no one could find anything wrong with it. The soil tests all came back OK also.

Finally it completely croaked and when we dug it up we discovered that whoever had originally planted it had not spread out the roots. Although the tree was full sized, about 12' with a nice crown, the root ball was still small and it looked like a ball of snakes. The roots had just gone round and round and eventually it choked itself to death. For your son's sake I hope this is not the case at his home but it is something to think about.

I suspect the drought conditions worsened the condition of his tree.