Sick Little Gem Magnolia

[Big Lou]

Zone 8a North Texas

Leafs on multiple branches of our Little Gem Magnolia have turned completely brown. The tree is about 5 to 6 feet tall. It is watered regularly. All other areas of the tree are fine. I was told to remove all effected branches and other browning leafs being careful to gather waste and dispose of immediately. I did exactly as instructed. Yesterday I found additional solid brown leafs. Is there any way to save our Little Gem Magnolia?

 

[Chuck]

Zone 8a North Texas

Leafs on multiple branches of our Little Gem Magnolia have turned completely brown. The tree is about 5 to 6 feet tall. It is watered regularly. All other areas of the tree are fine. I was told to remove all effected branches and other browning leafs being careful to gather waste and dispose of immediately. I did exactly as instructed. Yesterday I found additional solid brown leafs. Is there any way to save our Little Gem Magnolia?

Is this plant in the ground or a pot and has it been transplanted recently? And by regular watering how often and how much? Do the brown leaves stay on the tree or fall off. Are the brown leaves at the bottom or top of the plant? On one of the older limbs where the leaves have turned brown scratch the bark. Is it green or brown? A pic would be helpful also

 

[Big Lou]

This tree was planted 2+ years ago. Height is about 6+ feet. This summer by sprinkler every 3 days for 20 minutes. Now that the temp is down from 100+ to 80's watered every 4 days for 18 minutes. The brown leafs stayed on the tree and some fell off. Per TX Extension Service limbs with all dead leafs were removed. Limbs on all impacted areas were still green under the bark. Will try to take photos. Thanks Chuck.

 

[Chuck]

This tree was planted 2+ years ago. Height is about 6+ feet. This summer by sprinkler every 3 days for 20 minutes. Now that the temp is down from 100+ to 80's watered every 4 days for 18 minutes. The brown leafs stayed on the tree and some fell off. Per TX Extension Service limbs with all dead leafs were removed. Limbs on all impacted areas were still green under the bark. Will try to take photos. Thanks Chuck.

Little Gems and all magnolias do marginal in our alkaline soils. They all like a Ph of about 5. Central and north Texas and on up into Oklahoma have a Ph of about 7. If it were me I would lay down a thick layer of peat and mulch out to the drip line and amend the soil with sulfur to acidify it a little. Also make sure that the root flare is exposed. As for watering. I think you are watering too often. I would water with a slow drip or soaker hose overnight about every 10 - 15 days.. Magnolias do not like wet feet. I think this is mainly a watering problem. You cannot over water a plant but you can and will kill a plant by watering too often

 

[Big Lou]

Just discoverd the crown plus touching high vertical limb now have browning leafs. If I cut the crown and second tallest branch are cut off then the tree is done. I'm just going to wait it out. All it can do is get worst. Thanks Chuck.

 

[Chuck]

Just discoverd the crown plus touching high vertical limb now have browning leafs. If I cut the crown and second tallest branch are cut off then the tree is done. I'm just going to wait it out. All it can do is get worst. Thanks Chuck.

Or it will grow out of it. There is a product called SuperThrive. It is for trees and plants that are sick and/or dying. It's made from vitamin compounds and this stuff really does work when all else fails. Check it out and watch your watering

 

[Big Lou]

Thanks. I'll goggle it now.

 

[Big Lou]

Found it at Lowes. Can't hurt.

 

[Jaymill85]

Hello, new to the sight so bare with me!!

I planted a little gem magnolia back in April may! Bought it from a local nursery in good condition. I’m in north falls and we had a horrible freeze back in mid February! With all that said we’ve had a horrible hot dry summer and I’ve notice that is crashing hard! It was thriving in the bringing. Blooming and new growth and not it’s leaves are all brown but there is a weird new growth coming out of the base. Long and tall! Not sure if it’s just a weed sucking the nutrients out of the magnolia or it is actually part of the tree(I doubt it). Didn’t know if I should cut back all the dead leaves branches? And also dig out or cut the weird weed/ new growth off! Thanks, sorry to be so long winded.

Long story short do I have a chance?

 

[Marck]

Hello, and welcome to the Forums.

Your Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' is either dead or very close to it. Situations like this are usually caused by water issues. Either too much water combined with poor drainage or too little water, sometimes a combination of both. How often and how deeply did you water this tree? A Young Magnolia should be watered regularly in dry weather. They are somewhat tolerant of wet soils but they do not do their best in fully saturated soil. What I see in the photo suggests a dry, underwatered situation, but I cannot be fully certain. Check the soil to see if it is dry or saturated.

There is little hope at this point, but you could try removing the weeds and mulching the soil around the tree and then water the plant well. If there is any life left in the tree, it should put out new growth by late Spring.... but this is a long shot,

A better bet would be to replace the tree now so that it can establish in the Fall. You will want to amend the soil with rich compost, mulch with fine bark and regularly water the tree. Ideally you will want to plant the new tree on a mound surrounded by a reservoir so that the rootcrown will be elevated, but the feeder roots will receive the irrigation.

The other plant is a weed. It should be removed, but it is not the cause of your tree's decline.
A freeze that took place before the tree's decline would also not have any affect on the tree's health.

Addendum: I just read and replied to your other post concerning your Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum). As far as I can tell, this appears to be the same problem. I suspect both trees were under-watered.