Magnolia seeds are a bright red surprise in the fall garden. But more than just adding beauty, you can grow them into new trees. Heres how to do it.
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After the flowers are long gone from your magnolia tree, the show continues with the arrival of beautiful bright red magnolia seeds. Exotic-looking cone shaped seed pods appear in early autumn and burst open to reveal crimson berries. Each fall, trees come to life with birds, squirrels, and other wildlife that relish these tasty fruits.
But if you open a berry before the animals eat it, you’ll find tiny magnolia seeds. With a little bit of work and a lot of patience, propagating magnolia trees from seed is a fun and rewarding activity for gardeners of all ages.
Magnolia trees are prized for their showy, fragrant flowers and lush green foliage. While you can purchase young trees, starting magnolias from seeds allows you to grow varieties that may not be available at nurseries. With proper care, you can nurture magnolia seeds into stately, flowering specimens.
Harvesting and Preparing Magnolia Seeds
The first step is collecting ripe magnolia seeds in early fall when the seed pods split open Look for bright red seeds inside cone-like fruits Carefully remove the fleshy coating from each seed by soaking and gently rubbing, Let the cleaned seeds air dry before refrigerating them,
Magnolia seeds need 3-4 months of cold stratification to break dormancy. Place seeds in damp peat moss or sand, seal in a plastic bag, and store at 34°-41°F. Periodically check for mold and remove any sprouted seeds to plant.
Sowing Seeds at the Right Time
Spring planting: Remove stratified seeds from the fridge in late winter. Sow in pots filled with loose, well-draining soil. Cover with 1⁄4 inch of soil. Keep warm and moist until sprouting.
Fall planting Sow cleaned seeds directly in pots, Cover with soil and mulch, Leave outdoors over winter for natural cold exposure Move indoors in spring
Caring for Magnolia Seedlings
Newly sprouted magnolia seedlings need bright, indirect light. Water cautiously to keep moist, not soaked. Transplant into larger containers once roots fill the pots. Introduce diluted fertilizer after a few sets of leaves develop.
Acclimating and Planting Outdoors
Harden off seedlings before planting outside. Set containers in a sheltered spot for a few hours, gradually increasing time over 1-2 weeks. Transplant into garden beds after the last frost when night temperatures stay above freezing. Choose a site with partial shade and acidic soil.
Long-Term Care
Magnolias grown from seeds take 5-10 years to bloom. Water deeply as needed and fertilize annually in early spring. Prune only dead or damaged branches while young. Monitor for pests and treat problems early. With consistent care, your seed-grown magnolia will become a treasured flowering specimen.
Key Tips for Success
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Stratify seeds properly in fall for spring germination.
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Use a sterile, well-draining soil mix and avoid overwatering.
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Give seedlings bright, indirect light and transplant to larger pots when rootbound.
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Acclimate young trees before planting outdoors.
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Be patient – trees started from seeds take years to flower and mature.
Growing magnificent magnolias from tiny seeds requires diligence through every stage, but the years of effort pay off when you enjoy the elegance of your own flowering tree. Follow these steps for the best results nurturing magnolia seeds into enduring garden specimens.
When to Harvest Magnolia Seeds
The first step in growing a magnolia tree is obtaining the seeds, either by purchasing them or by harvesting them from a parent plant. Usually buying seeds is easier, but when it comes to magnolias, it is often a challenge to find seeds commercially.
Once magnolia seeds dry out, they are no longer viable. So in order to grow a magnolia tree from seed, you have to harvest fresh seeds from the berries. But don’t let birds get to all the berries first!
Magnolias are easy flower seeds to harvest in September or October, when the berries turn red and ripe. Just pick the berries out of the cones and save them for later.
Before you go to the trouble of harvesting magnolia seed pods, though, you need to determine whether or not the parent tree is a hybrid. Hybrid magnolia tree varieties dont breed true and the resulting tree may not resemble the parent.
It can take up to 10 to 15 years before your new tree produces its first flowers, so you may not know you’ve made a mistake until then.Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
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Prepare Magnolia Seeds for Planting
The next steps differ depending on when you want to plant your magnolia seeds.
If you are going to plant the seed in fall, remove the berries from the pods, then remove the berry flesh from the seeds after you harvest them. Soak seeds in warm water overnight. Soaking seeds before planting is a crucial step, as it helps soften the seed’s hard outer layer and makes them more likely to germinate.
Remove the outer seed coat by rubbing the seeds with hardware cloth or against a window screen. Plant the seeds quickly after you remove the outer layer.
If you are planning on planting magnolia tree seeds in spring, there are a few extra steps. First, clean and rub the berries, removing their outer coat, the same as for fall planting. Then store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator until spring.
This process is called seed stratification. It mimics the natural conditions a seed would experience outdoors during winter. Fill a plastic baggie with moist growing medium, add your seeds, and place the baggie in the refrigerator.
Leave seeds undisturbed for at least three months or until you are ready to plant them. When you take the seeds out of the refrigerator, it triggers a signal that tells the seed that winter has passed and its time to grow. ( credit: Dwbenjam / Getty s)
Master the Art of Growing Magnolia Trees from Seed: Complete Guide
FAQ
How do you germinate a magnolia seed?
Fill a plastic baggie with moist growing medium, add your seeds, and place the baggie in the refrigerator. Leave seeds undisturbed for at least three months or until you are ready to plant them.
How fast do magnolia trees grow from seed?
After the seed has gone through the stratification period, it can be sown and placed where temperatures are about 70 degrees. Germination will take place in about 30 to 40 days. Magnolia seedlings grow rapidly, and generally are large enough to transplant by the end of the first season.
Can you grow a magnolia tree in a pit?
Magnolia varieties that are suitable for growing in pots include: Ann Magnolia (Magnolia liliflora x ‘Ann’) whose fragrant flowers are reddish-purple on the outside and white inside. This hybrid magnolia slowly grows to a mature size of 10 to 12 feet in height and width. USDA Zone 4-9.
How to grow magnolia trees from seeds?
Follow these five simple steps to grow magnolia trees from seeds for your yard. Look for magnolia cones that are already opening up and releasing the seeds. If you can’t find any, pick up fresh cones and set them aside for a few days until they dry and open. Gently shake the red magnolia seeds out of the cone.
When should I gather my Magnolia seed pods?
You should gather your magnolia seed pods between mid-September and mid-October. Also, unlike other seeds, do not attempt to open the seed pods yourself because they will open on their own when they are ready. When the pods open, you will see your seeds covered in red flesh.
Where do magnolias grow?
A sunny, sheltered site is best for these vigorous growers, with moisture-retentive, preferably acidic soil. They have a reputation for being brittle, shedding limbs in high winds. At one time the tallest magnolia in Britain was a specimen (now lost) at Caerhays Castle, Cornwall, 29 m tall in 1984 ( Clarke 1988 ).