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Magnolia Siebold is a deciduous, low shrub with small fragrant and snow-white flowers. Belongs to the Magnoliaceae family. Culture can often be found in gardens, alleys and parks. This type of magnolia is one of the most frost-resistant; it can be grown in almost any region of Russia.
Description of Magnolia Siebold
The crop grows in the form of a shrub or low tree. Its height does not exceed 8 m. The crown is lush, spreading, and can reach 7-8 m in diameter.
The trunk is thin, bendable, covered with dark gray bark. The branches are long, thin, almost bare, the bark on them is light, gray. Young shoots are densely covered with fluff, and over time they become bare and smooth.
The leaves have an oval-elongated shape, their surface is smooth and glossy. They grow up to 15 cm in length and up to 8 cm in width. The tip of the leaf is pointed, the base is rounded, the edge is smooth, slightly wavy. The upper side of the leaf is dark green, the lower side is gray. Young leaves are slightly pubescent.
How Siebold's magnolia blooms
As soon as the leaves bloom in mid-May, the shrub immediately blooms.This period is short: by June the Siebold magnolia will fade. It may produce several buds in August.
Newly bloomed flowers are cup-shaped; after a few days they will begin to resemble a saucer. The diameter of the flower does not exceed 10 cm, the number of petals ranges from 6 to 9 pieces. They are wide, pointed towards the edge, concave. The length of one petal can be 6 cm, width - 4 cm. In the center of the flower there are stamens, dark pink and red. There are a lot of buds on a magnolia bush; it is literally strewn with them. The aroma of flowers is intense, bright and fresh.
Reproduction methods
Magnolia Siebold can be easily propagated by cuttings, layering and seeds.
Magnolia seeds can be propagated even at home. Seedlings suitable for rooting in the garden can be obtained a year after sowing.
The shrub is propagated by layering and cuttings in the first few years of its life. This increases your chances of getting a healthy, fast-growing plant. The shrub is propagated by layering in the spring, and by cuttings at the end of June. Both methods are considered effective for breeding Siebold magnolia.
Planting and caring for Siebold magnolia
For planting, choose a strong, well-developed seedling, at least half a meter in height. Its rhizome should be closed.
Recommended timing
It is recommended to plant shrubs in the fall - from late September to late October. During this period, the tree falls asleep, the movement of sap stops, and the seedling painlessly endures rooting in a new place. Also during this period there is no longer any sweltering heat, but frost has not yet set in.
Site selection and soil preparation
In the Moscow region, planting and caring for Siebold magnolia is carried out in well-lit areas protected from drafts.It is important that the planting site is not located in a low area and that groundwater does not lie underneath it: the crop does not tolerate waterlogged soils.
In the south, in Primorye, Siebold magnolia is planted and cared for in slightly shaded areas protected from the wind. It is important to protect the crop from drafts, direct sunlight and excess moisture.
Siebold magnolia should not be planted on calcareous, sandy, or waterlogged soils. To reduce the acidity level, the soil is dug up with the addition of peat.
How to plant correctly
Siebold magnolia is planted in holes 3 times larger than the rhizome of a grown shrub. The earth that remains after digging a hole is mixed with humus in equal parts. If the soil is dense and heavy, you need to add sand 3 times less than the entire volume of excavated soil.
Landing algorithm:
- The plant is placed in a planting hole, making sure that the root collar remains above the soil level.
- The roots of the seedling are sprinkled with a soil mixture; you should not add a lot of soil - a small depression should form around the tree trunk.
- Afterwards, the plant is watered abundantly.
As soon as all the moisture has gone into the ground, the tree trunk circle is mulched with sawdust.
Growing rules
After planting, the Siebold magnolia will practically not grow for a year, but even during this period it needs regular care. Fertilizing, watering, and sanitary pruning will only accelerate the growth of the seedling.
Watering
Magnolia Siebold grows and develops in moist soils and responds well to regular watering. It is especially important in the summer to prevent the earthen coma from drying out.To retain precious moisture at the root, after each watering the tree trunk circle is mulched.
Top dressing
Plants up to 2 years old are not treated with fertilizing. As soon as the magnolia crosses this threshold, it should be fertilized.
The first fertilizing is applied in early spring, the next one in mid-summer, and the process is completed in September. The first April feeding is simple: you need to mulch the tree trunk with humus or rotted horse manure. Together with the spring rains, such fertilizer will easily reach the root of the Siebold bush.
Ammonium nitrate, urea or organic fertilizers are used as subsequent fertilizing. They are diluted in water and the nutrient mixture is added to the tree at the root.
You can also use complex mineral fertilizers for flowering crops. All elements in them are balanced and well stimulate the growth and flowering of Siebold magnolia.
Trimming
Magnolia Siebold is pruned in early spring before buds form. First, cut off all frozen, damaged, dry shoots. Then you can carry out formative pruning, removing old, overgrown branches that are out of alignment. On large shoots, the cutting areas must be treated with garden varnish, otherwise the magnolia will not tolerate pruning well and will be sick for a long time.
Preparing for winter
The rhizome of Siebold magnolia can withstand frosts down to -30 ᵒC, but the above-ground part of the plant and especially the buds may be damaged. Seedlings under 3 years old are especially vulnerable. With age, Siebold magnolia becomes more frost-resistant.
To protect the young plant, at the end of October and in November, a hut-like structure made of thin slats or boards is built above the bush. All branches are first collected with twine. A canvas bag is put on top of the structure or wrapped with any other covering fabric.
Low Siebold seedlings can be covered with a larger wooden box. Its walls are first covered with thick cardboard.
Pests and diseases
Siebold magnolia often suffers from rodents. Moles dig up its roots, and mice gnaw at the trunk, especially injuring the root collar. At the first signs of the appearance of such pests in the garden, traps are placed, and the damaged parts of the bush are treated with a solution of foundationazole (1%).
During periods of heat and prolonged drought, spider mites may become more active. If the magnolia leaves turn yellow and a cobweb appears between them, it means that the pest has already settled in the greenery of the bush. It sucks the juices from the above-ground part of the plant, and Siebold’s magnolia can disappear in just a month. To prevent this from happening, the bush is sprayed with a solution of laundry soap and then treated with insecticides.
The culture is resistant to diseases, but may suffer from chlorosis. This is a consequence of an excess of lime in the soil. In this case, the leaves become covered with rusty spots, and the veins on them remain green. To correct the situation, peat or soil from the forest where coniferous trees grow is added to the soil around the magnolia.
Conclusion
Magnolia Siebold is a beautiful flowering shrub that can be cultivated in almost any corner of Russia. In the southern regions, already in April you can enjoy its snow-white flowers and intoxicating lemon-vanilla aroma. In the center and in the Moscow region, magnolia Sieboldaz blooms in May. Rumors about the capriciousness of this culture are greatly exaggerated. It is easy to care for; magnolia does not require special growing and maintenance conditions.
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