Sick Magnolia Tree

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Sick Magnolia Tree

Name: Fran
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A

Question:

We have a large magnolia tree in our back yard. It is currently droping leaves and has been doing this for several months. The leaves turn yellow and fall off. Is the tree in trouble? Is the tree at the end of its life cycle? Just for your information we live in MD. This should allow you to find out what the weather condition where like for thr tree during the past year?

Replies:

Fran,

Do you know the genus/species of your particular tree? There are some magnolias which hold their leaves all winter and others which lose their leaves in the fall.

I personally have a tree which should hold its leaves all winter ( a southern magnolia) but due to the severity of the winters here over the last two years (in Pennsylvania) , the tree has had to replace 2 canopy's worth of leaves. Fortunately the canopy is the size of a basketball, so the loss is not great.

The southern magnolias which appear to be 'evergreen' do in fact over a period of time replace a fraction of the canopy each year. This is similar to white pine trees, for example, which shed some of their needles in the fall of each year.

Thanks for using NEWTON!

Dr. Rupnik

Dear Fran,

Possibly helpful:

http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modop/00000931.html
http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modzz/00000931.html

sincerely,

Anthony R. Brach, Ph.D.

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