Magnolia is one of the most beautiful flowers, invariably fascinating everyone around with its beauty, variegation and unique aroma. Fans of inimitable decorative design are constantly striving to decorate their own areas with such ornamental shrubs, while resorting to various methods. Currently, florists allocate several main types of reproduction, each of which is effective and simple enough for self-realization.
Magnolia Breeding Methods
As in the case of other noble ornamental shrubs, the main methods of magnolia breeding can be divided into 2 groups:
- Vegetative reproduction (by cuttings and layering);
- Seed propagation.
Each of these methods allows you to achieve the goal - to grow a magnolia. Vegetative reproduction is simpler, understandable and accessible to gardeners who do not have such experience, but experienced people prefer growing from seeds, since it is the key to the purity of the variety and the health of the shrub in the future. This method is more laborious, but often it turns out to be justified.Did you know? Magnolia is named after botanist Pierre Magnoli, who was Sharya Plumier's best friend, who discovered this amazingly beautiful plant on a long expedition. The original Russian name "Magnolia" turned out to be quite difficult for pronunciation and eventually eventually transformed into the now familiar "magnolia".
How to propagate magnolia seeds
Seed reproduction is a rather complicated process that requires a special approach, which is why every beginning florist seeks to learn how to plant magnolia by seed.. Prepared and pre-treated seeds (in this form, most often they are found on the shelves of specialized stores) can be sown directly in open ground (from September to November) or freeze seeds in advance and sow in a small greenhouse in winter.
Magnolia Seed Stratification
Stratification is a process of artificially imitating the influence of the environment and climatic conditions on a plant. Before temkak germinate magnolia seeds, they must be subjected to stratification. This process directly affects the final result of the multiplication and cultivation of magnolia. Magnolia seed stratification should be carried out at about + 5 ° С.
Seeds are frozen according to a special technology. They should be decomposed into a richly moistened substrate (sawdust, foliage, croup husks, hay, etc.) and placed in a freezer for 3 weeks. Immediately thereafter, the workpiece is removed, thawed at room temperature and sown in a prepared, fertilized open ground.
Important! Regardless of the hardening carried out, any deviation from the recommended temperature conditions and maintenance rules (temperature from + 1°C to +5WITH and the constant maintenance of soil moisture) will certainly destroy the seeds.
When to sow seeds
A few months after stratification (as a rule, no more than 4), the first seeds begin to hatch, which is a signal to plant them in open ground, a crate or a pot. When the magnolia is planted with seeds, it forms a fairly massive taproot, so the breeding and replanting capacity should be more than 30 cm in height - otherwise the root will rest against the bottom, and the magnolia will stop growing quickly or completely die. By early autumn, seedlings should be 15-20 cm in height. 
Did you know? Freezing the seeds of magnolia increases the germination efficiency by more than 2 times. This is due to the fact that the seeds get hardened, it allows the seedlings to be more resistant to changes in climatic conditions, pests and diseases.
Soil requirements
Magnolia shrub is quite whimsical not only for the initial care, but also for the condition of the soil. The end result of cultivation and reproduction largely determine the fertility of the soil and its carbonate content. It is also extremely important that, before the first landing, a full-fledged drainage system should be organized on the spot, capable of ensuring the constant maintenance of a given soil moisture level.
Efficiency of growth can be improved by adding organic fertilizers and multicomponent mineral compounds to the soil, which are available and offered in almost every flower shop.
Important! Magnolia does not tolerate increased acidity of the soil. In view of this, for planting it is best to choose beds that have not previously been treated with chemical synthetic compositions. The best solution is to plant a magnolia bush where other flowers have previously grown.
How to sow magnolia
Growing magnolia from seeds must necessarily begin with stratification, which significantly increases the germination rate. Magnolia is sown to a depth of 4 to 10 cm (depending on the severity and looseness of the soil). Seed germination in this case rarely exceeds 70%, which means that seeds can be sown abundantly, retreating from each other a minimum distance. Growing up after 20-25 days can be planted directly in the garden (to do it better in the warm season). The distance should be chosen, taking into account the further growth of the magnolia shrub.
Did you know? Individual small-flowered species of magnolia often produce self-seeding during particularly warm winters. From these seeds often grow unique specimens and varieties of magnolia, radically different from the original plant. It is because of this property of magnolia that some of its modern species, quite popular in our time, have appeared.
Seedling care
After magnolia seeds give the first shoots, the process of reproduction and growth should be taken more carefully and responsibly. The first shoots are a certain indicator of the correctness of actions at earlier stages. Seeds may not sprout at the same time, so you should continue to care for the shoots.
Magnolia seedlings grown from seeds, until full planting in open ground, are sensitive to changes in climatic conditions and soil conditions. Therefore, during the first 2-3 weeks it is recommended to recreate the most comfortable conditions for the growth and strengthening of the shoots of magnolia. Make it simple:
- The container with shoots should be in a room with a constant air temperature and humidity level;
- It is necessary to create conditions for a uniform supply of fresh air and to protect the seedlings from drafts;
- Daily shoots should receive light (artificial and / or solar) up to 4-6 hours;
- Prior to planting in open ground, the soil moisture should be controlled, maintaining it by regular irrigation;
- Additional fertilization of the soil is allowed with a small amount of mineral fertilizers;
- After 1-1.5 weeks after the appearance of the first shoots, it is necessary to clear the container of painful and small shoots, thus freeing up space for the development and strengthening of the root system of strong Magnolia shoots.
How to propagate magnolia by layering
If for some reason the result of seed reproduction was unsatisfactory, it is worthwhile to use reproduction by layering. This method is most effective for growing shrubs magnolia. To do this, it is enough to bend the branches to the ground in early spring, pin them firmly (ensuring complete immobility), and from above pour a loose soil hill about 20 cm high. Acceleration of the formation and growth of the root system can be ensured by a small annular notch in the middle of the muzzle landing part. This way you can get up to 3 additional seedlings from each available shrub or tree. Reproduction by layering gives results much faster than seed cultivation or magnolia propagation by cuttings (from 1 to 3 years). 
It is also possible to create air bends, which can be prepared from May until the end of June. The branch on which it is necessary to cause rooting is neatly incised or completely cleared from the bark. A bare place should be abundantly treated with growth stimulants. Immediately after this, the treated area is covered with moss and wrapped tightly in a film.
Important! It is extremely important that in the process of cutting and clearing the bark branch the wood is not damaged. This will not only have a detrimental effect on the results of root formation, but may lead to the fact that the branch, and then the whole tree begins to rot and perish.Every month, the place of rooting should be moistened by moistening the moss with a syringe. Already after a couple of months, a sufficiently developed root system is formed on the branch, after which in the fall the cuttings can be removed and planted as a seedling. Layers, cut and planted in late autumn, are fairly resistant to low temperatures and harsh climatic conditions, which means that even in the winter they can not be covered.
Breeding magnolia cuttings
Many gardeners and specialists know well how to grow a magnolia from a cutting. This method of reproduction is most accessible - its success largely depends only on the presence of the greenhouse and the correctness of the implementation of the recommendations.
If the cuttings are small, the greenhouse can be replaced by a mini-greenhouse or a tank in which the bottom can be heated. This is necessary because before planting a magnolia, you will need to control the temperature and humidity of the environment. The success of magnolia breeding depends on the following factors: the quality of harvesting, the choice of soil, as well as the correct planting and care.
When and how to prepare cuttings
Harvesting cuttings of magnolia does not differ from a similar process in relation to other trees or shrubs. The best reproduction is noted among the cuttings made from two-year-old twigs. Preparation of cuttings is best done in the spring. To prepare the cutting for rooting, the branches are cut directly under the bud (retracting 2-3 mm), after which 2 lower leaves are removed on the resulting cutting, leaving 2 leaves above them. Too large leaves are shortened by 2/3 of the length. The second undercut is 4-6 cm above the left leaves. The preparation of the cutting should be completed with its treatment in a root-stimulator solution or its accessible analogue.
You can make the workpiece and leaf cuttings. To do this, carefully cut off the leaf plate with a scape, on which a thin layer of bark should remain. In this case, it is important that the existing kidney is not affected. The final stage of harvesting is the processing of the cutting in the root formation stimulator.
Did you know? According to one of the eastern legends, magnolia owes its appearance to a girl who asked the Lord to demonstrate true beauty, greatness and a symbol of life. According to legend, in the morning in the settlement appeared a tree of great beauty - a magnolia. People who were afraid and did not accept this gift tried to chop down a tree and scatter its remains, but a new magnolia appeared at the site of each cutting.
How to choose the soil for planting cuttings
Equally important is the choice of soil for planting. Regardless of the breeding method chosen, it is recommended to choose open ground with a neutral reaction or with a slight acidity. This is due to the fact that the calcareous components quickly kill even the advanced root system of this shrub. The result of the landing of the cutting is also largely dependent on the presence of mineral components and fertilizers in the composition of the soil.
Among other things, magnolia is a tree, the reproduction of which is also possible from a cutting, in sandy and sandy soil will rapidly fade, until death. An ideal landing site is a bed with loose, light, fertilized soil and an organized drainage and irrigation system.
Planting and care for cuttings
It is important to understand not only when to plant a magnolia in the ground, but also how to do it correctly in a particular case. Planting magnolia cuttings in open ground should be carried out only after the plant forms a sufficiently strong, self-sufficient root system, in view of which immediately after cutting and processing the cutting is better to plant and maintain in greenhouse conditions. The landing on the site, as a rule, is carried out after 2-3 months after the cut. The most favorable period for planting - the end of June - the middle of July. It is during this period that magnolia grows most actively.
Soil at the landing site should be loosened and fertilized, and also have a watering and drainage system installed. Based on the total length of the cutting, it is buried 5-10 centimeters, dropping loose, fertilized soil.
In order for the stalk to settle down better and begin active growth, it must be watered every 3-4 days, controlling a constant level of humidity. The plant should also be protected from drafts and pests. To form a vertical growth can be using the support stand, installed in close proximity to the handle. Further care for the magnolia is the same as for other seedlings - timely watering, fertilizing, treatment from pests.
A variety of methods and approaches to the cultivation and multiplication of magnolia is quite large and accessible to almost everyone. Achieving the result of magnolia breeding is simply following the recommendations presented above. It is important to remember that the application of minor efforts in the process of growing aristocratic magnolia shrubs will surely turn into a flower of unprecedented beauty, worthy of the pride of the owners and the envy of their neighbors.
