How to Care for a Lily Tree

How to Care for a Lily Tree

Known for its aromatic flowers which adorn the landscape before the leaves appear in spring, a lily tree (Magnolia denudata), also referred to as yulan magnolia, grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. To prosper, it has to be planted in full to partial sun and in rich, well-drained dirt. After planting, it takes very little care, particularly because it has little to no major issues with insects or diseases. You just need to embrace a few cultural habits to develop a gorgeous tree which at full maturity reaches a height and spread of 30 to 40 feet.

Apply 2-3 inches of mulch under the canopy of the lily tree. This helps to keep the soil moist close to the surface of the dirt where lots of a lily tree’s roots are situated. Use a coarse mulch, such as wood or bark chips, which seldom needs replenishing.

Water a lily tree through dry conditions with 1 to 2 inches of water, applying it beneath the entire canopy of the tree. For your first growing season, water once a week with 1 to 2 inches of water during dry weather.

Prune the lily tree in late spring, just after it finishes flowering. Use clean, sharp pruning tools, like loppers or a saw to cut branches near their points of origin. Prune sparingly because in general, magnolias, like a lily tree, don’t react well to severe pruning. You may prune dead and damaged branches at any moment.

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