How much does a purple magnolia sapling cost per plant? Plus potted care tips

Purple magnolia, also known as xinyi or mulan, is a magnolia variety unique to China, commonly found on hillside forest land in regions such as Yunnan, Hubei and Sichuan in China. Purple magnolia is not only very suitable for road greening and courtyards, but can also be grown as a potted plant at home. In addition, purple magnolia is also a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. So how much does a purple magnolia sapling generally cost per plant? What are the care tips?

1. How much does a purple magnolia sapling generally cost per plant?

The price of purple magnolia saplings is affected by many factors, such as region, purchase quantity, height and so on, and prices vary somewhat from place to place. For purple magnolia saplings with a specification of 0.5-0.8 m tall, the price is usually 1.3-2 yuan; for those 1.2-1.5 m tall, the price is usually 1.8-3 yuan; for purple magnolia saplings over 2 m tall, the price is 5 yuan per plant. For example, a purple magnolia with a ground diameter of 12 cm costs 900 yuan, one with a ground diameter of 15 cm costs 1400 yuan, one with a ground diameter of 18 cm costs 3200 yuan, and one with a ground diameter of 20 cm costs 4000 yuan.

2. Potted care tips for purple magnolia

1. Potting soil

Purple magnolia prefers loose, fertile acidic or slightly acidic soil. You can use equal parts leaf mold and vegetable garden soil mixed as the growing medium, and add 50-150 g of bone meal or NPK compound fertilizer to the soil. The pot should be somewhat deep and large, and place some pieces of broken hard plastic foam at the bottom of the pot to enhance air permeability and drainage and prevent root rot. Repot and change the soil once every year or every other year after flowering, retaining 1/2 to 1/3 of the old soil.

2. Light and temperature

Purple magnolia loves light. Placed in a sunny courtyard or rooftop garden, it grows robustly and luxuriantly with plenty of sunlight. Under semi-shaded conditions it can still grow, but it is rather weak and bears few flowers, while in too much shade it will not flower. It is relatively cold-tolerant, and can overwinter outdoors in Beijing and areas to its south.

3. Water and fertilizer

Purple magnolia likes moisture but fears waterlogging, so timely and appropriate watering is very important. From the beginning of spring to flowering, keep the potting soil moist but not wet; after flowering, keep the potting soil moist without standing water; after leaf fall, keep the potting soil slightly moist and not dry. At no time should it be drought-stricken or waterlogged, and especially in the rainy season, pay attention to drainage to prevent waterlogging.

Purple magnolia loves fertilizer. Fertilizing should focus on the two key times: 2 months before flowering and 5 months after flowering, applying NPK compound fertilizer about once every 10 days. The former makes the buds swell and the flowers open, while the latter promotes more bud formation and more flowers the following spring. When leaves fall in early winter, apply a fertilizer mainly of phosphorus and potassium once to enhance its cold resistance and overwintering ability; at other times, apply less or not at all. Avoid applying nitrogen fertilizer alone.

4. Pruning

Purple magnolia has strong root sprouting ability. If propagation is not needed, cut the sprouts as they grow, keeping 3 main stems per pot. For branches that are too tall or too long, they can be cut short right after flowering when leaves have just unfurled. Because its wound-healing ability is poor, apply sulfur powder after cutting to prevent rot; if not necessary, do not prune. After flowering, if seeds are not needed for propagation, cut off the spent flowers together with the calyx.

5. Pests and diseases

Seedlings often suffer from damping-off. First carry out soil disinfection treatment: use 15-20 kg of ferrous sulfate per mu, grind it fine and sieve it, and spread it evenly on the bed surface; pull out diseased plants and burn them immediately. For leaf spot disease, spray with 65% zineb wettable powder at 600 times dilution. Among insect pests, mole crickets and cutworms damage tender stems at the seedling stage; use 2.5% trichlorfon powder mixed with poison bait to trap and kill them. During the growing period, the main pests are slug moths, red spider mites and scale insects, which can be killed by spraying with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1500 times dilution.