Espaliering a magnolia

jdvm

I love this forum. Everyone is so helpful.

We live outside of Orlando, Florida and have a magnolia against our house. It is currently on a trellis, is 7 feet tall and 3 feet wide and it needs to be trimmed or trained in some fasion. We're not super formal people but wonder where we could go for some trimming/shaping ideas that would show this plant off to its maximum potential.

Thanks,

John V

treeseer

We would need to know the species and cultivar before advising. A picture would be helpful.

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Guy Meilleur | Forensic Arborist | Better Tree Care

Sean Freeman

Hi John, this is probably the best site to view for the basic how to info Espaliers very sound general advice, but also look here for great pics to give you insperation for the patterns and final effect you might desire...Trees
Sundry

Espalier is a much neglected technique for growing trees in very small spaces but it does require a lot of dedication and patience. Good Luck

PS Guy is right put some pics up and we can give you much better advice as to what appears possible and what does not!

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Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran

jdvm

Thanks, Guy.

Here are a couple of photos. The leaves are small--approx 4-6 inches long. I'm uncertain of the cultivar--sorry.

Sean,
Thanks for the link to the photos. My wife and I really like the feather pattern.

The boards on the house are 6 inches, by the way

Thank you all so much for your help!

John

treeseer

Hope it's a Little Gem, or it will be extremely high maintenance. They surely do install a lot of large-maturing plants in small places in Celebration. You'll need a stronger trellis, regardless. magnolia is a fairly good candidate for espalier due to branch flexibility and responsiveness to pruning.

I'll be in orlando Wednesday, lunch at tgi fridays by disney world...

good link sean, but the technique is much older than the romans; they stole it (and so much else) from the greeks, after alexander brought it over from the far east.

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Guy Meilleur | Forensic Arborist | Better Tree Care

TreeSpecialist

It does appear to be a dwarf variety of Magnolia grandiflora called "Little Gem.

Dwarf is actually a misnomer. magnolia grandiflora easily grows to 80 feet or more. "Dwarf" in this instance means it won't get much taller than 40 to 50 feet!

As an arborist, I consider them job security as I have to cut them back continuously for clients who insist on planting them in the wrong places. After several years of paying to have them cut back, some folks eventually have them removed.

Regular pruning will be needed to keep it in check but that will also eliminate many of its flowers. If you need to cut it back, do so in the fall and you amy still have some blossoms in late spring.

You may want to rethink its location and move it to where it can grow and bloom.

playfordtree

Welcome to Treeworld John

Gee mate your garden sure looks lush at the moment.
We haven't had any rain here since mid December, and everything is looking dry and desperate.

Good luck with your Magnolia.


You're not wrong Sean, i especialy love fruit trees that have been "Espaliered"


Nice pics of John Poole's trees, the "Rare Fruit Society" have quite a cult following here in Adelaide.
They have a regular spot on "Michael Keelan's Weekend", which is one of radio's top rating gardening shows.

The program is broadcast on 5AA radio, it's on every weekend from 6am-10am (AustCentTime), you can listen in live (and for free) by following the link at the top of their homepage.
(they also have a great sports show, weekdays 4pm-7pm)



FIVEaa :: home

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treeseer

TS, I've never seen Little Gem over 20'. You are right about timing of pruning, right after bloom is best. I can see that one working well where it is, with a fan trellis going post to post.

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Guy Meilleur | Forensic Arborist | Better Tree Care

TreeSpecialist

We have several we keep at around 20 to 24 feet to keep them from over powering the houses.

Well planted, watered, and fertilized, these trees are reduced by 8 to 10 feet per year to keep them in check.

One client's tree blooms almost continuously from May through September. We usually reduce it in late June when they leave for Europe each summer.

treeseer

Sounds interesting. I'd liek to see how you make those cuts. pictures?

o and you are talking about the species, not the cultivar, right?

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Guy Meilleur | Forensic Arborist | Better Tree Care