Sweetbay Magnolia

Sweetbay Magnolia Care

Magnolia Virginiana

What is the plant

The sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a flowering tree or shrub that can be either evergreen or deciduous depending on the USDA Zone where it is grown.This is an example of a type species, which is a plant that is considered to be the prime example for species in a genus. It was the first species to receive this genus name and other species were later included in Magnolia because of their genetic similarity to the sweetbay.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

min -20°C

Hardiness zone

5 - 10

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Surround the trees with a thick layer of organic mulch and irrigate as necessary to keep the soil from drying out.
Pruning
Some trees may start to form multiple trunks. If you want it to have only one trunk, choose the main trunk to train into a central leader.
Fertilizer
Surround the trees with a thick layer of organic mulch and irrigate as necessary to keep the soil from drying out. The tree benefits from a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer for the first three years.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Sweetbay magnolia can be grown in sites that receive full sun to partial shade.
Soil
Test your soil before planting the sweetbay magnolia as it needs acidic soil for the best growth. There are methods available to make your soil more acidic if it is close to neutral (7.0) pH. Iron chlorosis may set in if the soil is alkaline.
Temperature
This tree is suitable for inclusion in Zones 5 through 10. Those in Zone 5 should take measures to help protect the tree from winter temperature drops. In the cooler zones, it will be deciduous in habit. It is originally from the eastern United States.