Help Please..Saucer Magnolia looks like a BIG BUSH!

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JanetS Braselton, GA(Zone 7b) Sep 30, 2006

I have a saucer magnolia, it looks more like a bush! It has mutliple "trunks" and I want it to look like a tree...can I prune out most of the trunks? Will they grow back or sprout? If anyone knows how to prune this tree, please let me know...I love the flowers, but it has branches all the way to the ground it is about fifteen feet tall already and about ten feet wide...not sure if it is too late to make it work...it is about four years planted, so I am guessing about five or six years old...thanks so much!
JanetS

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escambiaguy Atmore, AL(Zone 8b) Sep 30, 2006

Have you tried removing some of the finger sized branches in the lower portion of it? It is the natural form of this tree to have multiple trunks, but you can tidy it up a bit.

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Kevin_5 Elburn, IL(Zone 5a) Sep 30, 2006

I think mine has 8 or so trunks, and they are limbless up to about 7'. It looks like a tree. It's the nature of that beast.

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JanetS Braselton, GA(Zone 7b) Sep 30, 2006

Very pretty, I haven't really tackled it yet..wanted to be sure I didn't do the wrong thing and hurt the tree..LOL

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JanetS Braselton, GA(Zone 7b) Oct 01, 2006

Okay, I have cut it back and gotten rid of all of the finger sized branches etc. I have NINE trunks coming out...my question now is can I cut a couple of those out without harming the tree....they are only about 3 inches in diameter..
Thanks

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escambiaguy Atmore, AL(Zone 8b) Oct 02, 2006

I think it would be okay to cut a few of those out, just be sure to pick the smallest ones. Be prepared for it to send up suckers once you do it though, sometimes pruning around the trunk will trigger such a response. If it does you will have to routinely remove them.

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vossner East Texas, United States(Zone 8a) Oct 02, 2006

Janet, from very early on I started pruning the lower branches because I wanted a standard. As escambiaguy says, it tends to sucker (though not as bad as crape myrtles). I don't think you will damage anything, so prune away! I planted mine in full sun and unfortunately is gets leaf burn in Jul/Aug, but it recovers so I just let it be. Too late to move to a shadier spot.

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JanetS Braselton, GA(Zone 7b) Oct 03, 2006

Good to know! I am going to get it to a few less trunks for sure...I want a tree, not a shrub! I love the flowers and it was loaded with buds, but I know it will still make more and be healthier and prettier as time goes by!

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