Royal Star Magnolia Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on June 14, 2022

Planting instructions

Although your royal star magnolia tree will survive well in partial shade, if you wish to encourage the ideal blooming characteristics this plant can achieve, place it in full sun. The soil in your growing location should have plenty of organic nutrients present and be slightly acidic with good drainage. As long as those conditions are in place, you’ll find that the royal star magnolia tree fits well in many planting locations, including courtyards, foundation beds, and many more.

Watering and nutrients

You’ll need to water your royal star magnolia tree frequently after planting to help it adapt to a new growing location. After a few months to a year of healthy growth, you can reduce your watering schedule to about once per week during the active growing season. Nitrogen is typically the most important nutrient for this tree, but a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer will work too. Apply fertilizer about once per year in the early spring.

Pollination

The royal star magnolia tree blooms in the early spring, offering a much-needed source of nectar for several insect species. Interestingly, since the Magnolia genus is so old, it actually evolved before many of the flying insects, bees, butterflies, and others that commonly conduct pollination today. As such, the royal star magnolia tree continues to rely on flightless insects such as beetles to carry pollen from one flower to another and complete the pollination process.

Pruning

Prune your royal star magnolia tree in the mid to late spring months after the blooming period has ended. Trimming in early spring will likely remove many of the buds that are just about to open. As always, use your pruning cuts to remove dead and damaged limbs. You also have the opportunity to train your royal star magnolia tree into the shape you like most. These plants will naturally take on a more rounded form with multiple main branches. However, you can alter the shape of your tree so that it appears as a single-stemmed specimen.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Compared to many other flower plants, the royal star magnolia tree has impressive resistance to most pests and diseases. Regarding the former, this plant can experience the occasional infestation of scale, but this is not common. Gray mold and wilt can also occur in the royal star magnolia tree. These issues are typically rare as well, so the royal star magnolia tree can add beauty to your yard with minimal risk of a harmful infection to deal with.

Achieving maximum results

Perhaps more so than any other plant, the royal star magnolia tree must have some form of wind protection. This plant’s flowers bloom very early in the season, which leaves them incredibly vulnerable to any late winter storms. The wind from such storms will easily destroy these delicate flowers. One of the best ways to protect your royal star magnolia tree is to create some form of screening on its northern side. That screening could come in the form of a wall, an evergreen hedge, or any other structure that can abate the wind.

Compare Similar Products

Customer Reviews

Anonymous

Verified Buyer April 27, 2021 at 4:25pm

Tree going fine not sure about the roses

Got both in the day they arived The tree leaves came back fine and looking like it is going to be fine. It got cold after 2 nights here and now the rose leaves look wilted and maybe dry. Kind of afraid to touch them right now mulch is in and now that it is getting hotter hope the roots are holding up and the roses will come back soon. Was going to wait a week or two to call if they do not.