How to Propagate White Magnolia? Latest Propagation Methods Explained
White magnolia is a famous ornamental flowering tree, with elegant white flowers, a captivating fresh fragrance, a long blooming period, and dense, emerald-green branches and leaves. It has very high ornamental and landscaping value, is relatively easy to care for, and offers quite a few propagation methods. The most commonly used are grafting and layering, while sowing and cuttings are used less often. However, for home cultivation, grafting and layering are sufficient.
Yulan Magnolia Propagation by Seed
For growing seedlings from seed, in late September or early October, harvest the ripe fruit and take out the seeds. Soak them in wood ash water for 1—2 days, then rub off the waxy aril and rinse clean with water before sowing. Alternatively, after washing the seeds, stratify them in moist sand and refrigerate, otherwise the seeds easily lose their germination ability. In March of the following year, sow in indoor pots, and seedlings will emerge in about 20 days.
White Magnolia Propagation by Cuttings
White magnolia can be propagated by cuttings, but it has poor regenerative capacity, and cuttings do not easily root and survive, so this method is mostly not adopted.
⟦NL>White Magnolia Propagation by Grafting
White magnolia is often propagated by grafting. Generally, 2-3 year old seedlings of Zinngyi magnolia or Michelia champaca are used as rootstock. There are two grafting methods: approach grafting and cut grafting.
1. Approach grafting: Approach grafting can be carried out throughout the growing season, from spring to autumn. It is mostly done from April to July. The best grafting position is 70 cm above the ground. After binding, wrap with mud balls and cover the outside with leaves to prevent rain from washing it away. After about 60 days, it can be cut apart. Approach grafting is an easier method to achieve survival, but the growth is not as vigorous as with cut grafting.
2. Cut grafting: In mid to late September, select well-developed magnolia branches as scions. The cut surfaces of the rootstock and scion should be tightly joined, bound with plastic film strips, smeared with mud, and the scion buried with soil to keep the soil moist. In northern China, in winter, the scion needs to be covered with straw and other materials. Remove the covering the following spring. After sprouting, keep 4-5 buds on the upper part of the branch and remove all the rest. Through 2-3 years of routine care, it will be able to bloom.
White Magnolia Propagation by Layering
White magnolia layering is also a commonly used propagation method, mainly divided into simple layering and air layering.
1. Simple layering: Simple layering is best done in February to March. Cut halfway into the base of the branch to be layered, then cut upward a further section, insert a piece of tile in the middle, then gently press it into the soil without breaking it. Use a U-shaped thick wire inserted into the soil to fix it and prevent it from tilting up, then pile soil on top. For spring layering, once roots and shoots appear, it can be cut apart and planted separately.
2. Air layering: Before the dog days of summer, select a healthy, disease-free young branch (1.5-2 cm in diameter) on the mother plant. Make a slit cut at the lower part of a fork, then cover it with a bamboo tube or a bottomless clay pot filled with potting soil, tie it tightly on the outside with string, and be careful not to disturb it. Spray a small amount of water frequently to keep it moist. Around May of the following year, new roots will grow, and it can be removed and planted in place.