How to grow magnificent magnolias

Jaimie Parsons, head gardener and estate manager at Caerhays, shares his tips on growing and caring for magnolias to get the best from these splendid trees

Frost is the magnolia’s main enemy, spoiling the show by burning the buds and flowers with sad brown patches, but magnolias can otherwise be relied upon to usher in each spring with a joyous display of flowers when most else is drab and grey. Plant in a sunny position and protect from cold winds. “They will not fare well in a windy or exposed position,” says Jaimie.

Magnolias like moist well-drained soil and generally do not like alkaline ground, preferring loamy neutral to acid soils. “Add well-rotted manure, compost or a small amount of fertiliser or fish, blood and bone to the soil at planting time,” Jaimie advises.

Rabbits will ring bark newly planted magnolias. “At Caerhays we surround new magnolias with chicken wire two feet from the plant, to keep rabbits and deer at bay,” Jaimie explains. “Slugs and snails can also strip young plants of their leaves.”

Ensure plenty of nutrients during the growing season by mulching trees with well-rotted manure or compost, or working a handful of Vitax Q4 or blood, fish and bone into soil.

“Opinions di er on when to prune, but at Caerhays we prune in late summer or early winter,” says Jaimie. “We prune out any double leaders and dead and damaged branches, removing lower branches to uplift the tree, unless it’s a small, shrubby one.”

Species magnolias will come true from seed. “Collect their seed pods in autumn,” Jaimie advises. “Remove the orange-red outer covering, and sow the blackish brown seeds contained within immediately, about an inch deep in pots, using a 50:50 mix of coconut coir compost and sharp grit. Water and place in a frost-free glasshouse, with the tops of the pots covered with a small piece of glass – mice go for the seeds like kids in a sweet shop. Then cover with newspaper. They should start to germinate in March to April.”