Magnolia Jane Bonsai Project

[Bonsai Cowboy]

In with some 6+ foot magnolia trees at home depot were these two little ones, called Magnolia Jane. I smart-phoned 'em real quick and decided I'd take one home, just in case

I've read some general guidance/experiences about bonsai for magnolias, but no mention of this specific species. Apparently it's a smaller magnolia species - a hybrid created in the 50's and a member of the "little girl" group.

I'll probably be repotting her this weekend and I'll have pics from that experience to share. I'll be putting the story on my site, Bonsai Cowboy, as well. For now, I've got pics of the tree straight from the Depot, and a little root exploration right when I got her home. I couldn't help myself...

See all the pics here.

 

[GrimLore]

Looks like a nice tree at a decent price, what are your plans for it? I had a few that I eventually put out for landscape as they were a bit time consuming to keep potted and look proper but that is me.

Grimmy

 

[coh]

I've got one of those, picked it up 2 years ago. Planted in the ground last spring to gain some size. I also have a similar variety ('Leonard Messel') that I'm working on in a pot. Did a lot of root work to it last spring and it did pretty well. Since I don't really have much long term experience with these, that's about all I can offer at this point

By the way, "small" is a very relative term with magnolias. These will still have very large flowers and large leaves. I think they look best in late winter/early spring as the buds swell and open.

Chris

 

[Bonsai Cowboy]

Thanks Chris. I'm looking forward to working the roots this weekend.

Grimmy, I'm not sure what I plan for it. It looks like it may be a natural candidate for a slanting upright style. Or I might try to get the leader/upper trunk to wind back around toward the center.

 

[Jester217300]

Clever spam bot...

 

[small trees]

Clever spam bot...

No, it's most likely an actual person trying to create backlinks to boost their search ranking with Google. Nevertheless, not a sincere member.

 

[Dav4]

Clever spam bot...

Is it wrong that I clicked on the link?

 

[edprocoat]

Is it wrong that I clicked on the link?

Naw, ya perv !

ed

 

[Poink88]

Is it wrong that I clicked on the link?

I did! I sure hope I am not the only one LOL.

 

[Bonsai Cowboy]

Sorry if it's not PC to link my project site on the forums, but I'm nothing if not sincere! I'm a newbie with bonsai fever! That aside, I spent a good while staring at this new tree after work yesterday, and now I REALLY don't know what I want to do with it! I think that it could pretty nicely make two trees, with a chop in the right place and air-layering the cutting. I don't know if that would work, but it was one of my thoughts.

Otherwise, I was thinking that I might put this one in the ground like Chris said, or at least keep it in a big nursery pot to try and grow the trunk. I've looked around on the web, but I'm still not 100% on how to best get trunk growth. Should I let it grow all over, or should I prune top growth to keep it "in-check" and divert resources to the trunk and lower areas? I'll keep searching the forum.

 

[Poink88]

Sorry if it's not PC to link my project site on the forums,....

We are referring to another spam post (since deleted). You are fine!

 

[Cadillactaste]

I would think...having a larger bonsai of the magnolia would help with the leaf being larger of size? Example...a 27" tree verses a Shohin size...a leaf would look more size appropriate. Though I maybe wrong in my thinking...I was tempted to get a magnolia awhile back. The winters cold kept me from doing so...and it needing shipped. I sometimes kick myself...I love magnolia trees. Maybe I need to just plop one in the yard...and call it done.

 

[GrimLore]

They can be potted, I had 3 in LARGE pots for a few years and gave up. Reason being is I thought I could keep them at around 4 foot but I could not get a leaf small enough even at 4 foot. Mine were not any Dwarf variety so I can only guess proportion "might" be possible if you like large plants either way.
Being a Dwarf may simply mean smaller leaves and foliage depending on the grower so for 25 dollars I would try it as they do make nice landscapes if they do not work out.

Grimmy

 

[coh]

They can be potted, I had 3 in LARGE pots for a few years and gave up. Reason being is I thought I could keep them at around 4 foot but I could not get a leaf small enough even at 4 foot. Mine were not any Dwarf variety so I can only guess proportion "might" be possible if you like large plants either way.
Being a Dwarf may simply mean smaller leaves and foliage depending on the grower so for 25 dollars I would try it as they do make nice landscapes if they do not work out.

Grimmy

What varieties were you growing?

I don't think you can really view/treat magnolias like some of the other classical species, such as maple, pine, etc. The leaves will probably always be on the large size unless you have a very large tree. So...you enjoy the tree structure during the winter (branch structure) and early spring (buds, flowers). Then you move it to the back of your benches for the summer...similar to a wisteria.

International Bonsai, 2007/1 had a nice article (and several photos) of spectacular magnolia bonsai. You can also find some using google image search. Here is a neat little mame:

Another larger one from Bay Island 13th Exhibit:

 

[Jester217300]

We are referring to another spam post (since deleted). You are fine!

Yes, sorry Bonsai Cowboy!! Nothing relating to you, there was actually a spam post

 

[GrimLore]

What varieties were you growing?I don't think you can really view/treat magnolias like some of the other classical species, such as maple, pine, etc. The leaves will probably always be on the large size unless you have a very large tree.

They were 2 white and one pink purchased from a landscape nursery at 6 foot or so. I wanted 4 footers to place in front of 5 to 6 foot Fruit and Maples. In front of them I wanted to put smaller trees and then even smaller to have a "waterfall" of green and various flowering in 3 areas. I tried over and over to make them look proper at 4 foot but could not make it happen so at the old place(5 1/2 acres there) I had plenty of room to landscape them and they were nice. Just a failed experiment for me for that size and application. I have a Dogwood that looks very similar to that first picture you posted(even the pot) and am pleased with it.

Grimmy

 

[Bonsai Cowboy]

I'm going to pot mine and just let it grow this season. I'll get an idea of the leaf and flower size I'm dealing with and go from there. I'd like to think it will end up as a great 30" bonsai with 3" trunk or so.

coh, I like the thought line of having a tree in "show form" in a different season. That's something I hadn't thought of yet.

 

[edprocoat]

Sorry if it's not PC to link my project site on the forums, but I'm nothing if not sincere! I'm a newbie with bonsai fever! That aside, I spent a good while staring at this new tree after work yesterday, and now I REALLY don't know what I want to do with it! I think that it could pretty nicely make two trees, with a chop in the right place and air-layering the cutting. I don't know if that would work, but it was one of my thoughts.

Otherwise, I was thinking that I might put this one in the ground like Chris said, or at least keep it in a big nursery pot to try and grow the trunk. I've looked around on the web, but I'm still not 100% on how to best get trunk growth. Should I let it grow all over, or should I prune top growth to keep it "in-check" and divert resources to the trunk and lower areas? I'll keep searching the forum.

Cowboy, I see where you wrote you are a beginner so I thought I would tell you that a chop in a large trunk usually will not root. An Air Layer is a different method where you remove a ring of bark around the trunk about 1/4 inch wide and apply rooting hormone over the wound and wrap the wound with sphagnum moss and then wrap the moss with plastic to allow roots to grow in the moss without drying out. This can also be done too using a small plastic pot slit up one side and opened to fit around the trunk and the pot side taped shut over the hormone powder covered with sphagnum moss with the trunk in the middle of the pot, easier to maintain the water in with daily monitoring. There is another method where you tightly wrap a piece of wire around the trunk turning it with a plier until it girdles the trunk (cuts in a bit) and another where you slice the bark and lift it a bit using a sliver of wood or a matchstick to hold it up. I feel the best method is to remove a ring of bark and I have seen good results with the wire method too. All these methods are best done in the spring just before buds open and usually produce good results (roots) in 2-3 months on deciduos trees. You would not seperate the layer until that fall.

ed

 

[Bonsai Cowboy]

Thanks Ed. You've prompted me to study more into the layering technique and avoid killing any chance I had at propagating a large cutting. I was under the impression that you could chop a branch/trunk and then perform the air-layering technique to the base of the severed section.

I don't plan on chopping this Magnolia Jane this year, but I have another tree that I'll be getting the chance to try this technique on. Thanks again.

 

[fore]

I've got one of those, picked it up 2 years ago. Planted in the ground last spring to gain some size. I also have a similar variety ('Leonard Messel') that I'm working on in a pot. Did a lot of root work to it last spring and it did pretty well. Since I don't really have much long term experience with these, that's about all I can offer at this point

By the way, "small" is a very relative term with magnolias. These will still have very large flowers and large leaves. I think they look best in late winter/early spring as the buds swell and open.

Chris

I repurposed mine last y into my yard Chris lol