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Magnolia Tree - Dead or dying, please help?

We've been at our new house for approximately 16 months.  The tree flowered last year and this year.  I thought it was perhaps shedding more leaves than usual this year but have only really just noticed that it seems to have dropped all of it's leaves.

It is surrounded by some thick grasses, I wonder if this has suffocated it and having just looked at the base of the tree it appears to be rotten in places round the bark? Or is it a lack of water?

Can anyone help, unfortunately I'm a little clueless when it comes to gardening?  I hope it can be saved but I fear I may have noticed too late.

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    The pics haven't come up Magnolia but rotting bark is a bad sign

    Start by clicking on the tree in the tool bar to upload a photo



    In the sticks near Peterborough
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     Sorry about the photos - hopefully they're showing now. 

    Thanks nutcutlet I am fearing it's terminal.  Just can't believe how quickly it happened without me really noticing.  I think the grasses may have made the bark too moist at the base.  There were a lot of slugs and woodlice round it too...

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    The slugs and woodlice will have moved in rather than causing it. 

    It'scan be  hard to pinpoint a cause of trunk damage, rabbits, strimmers, edge of a mower, anything like that lets the rot in. I doubt if the grasses caused it though they may have hastened the rot. Competition would slow down growth maybe but trees germinate and grow in grass land without rotting.

    It's over for that magnolia thoughimage sorry



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Oh no that is sad.  I've never really looked at the truck before as it is surrounded by the really thick grasses about 2-3ft deep all the way around the tree.

    Gutted as it was so pretty!  Was really hoping there was something that could be done to save it! 

    Thanks for your help - much appreciated.

  • Invicta2Invicta2 Posts: 663

    Did you at any time use a mower near the tree? Magnolias are vulnerable to damage from being banged by mowers their bark does not heal as well as other trees.

  • Hi Edd and Invicta2

    I'm not sure what would have caused the bark damage.  I certainly have not had a mower near it as the grasses have been over grown there for some time.  So think it must have been historic damage.  The previous owner had 4 dogs so don't know if they dug or scratched around it.  Think the grasses have probably made the whole area moist and so probably expedited the rotting.  It is a real shame as it was a lovely tree and I'd say about 10ft tall so well established.

    Interesting though, there is a very large dead tree on the same line in the garden and also a dead cherry blossom tree and that must have had rot at the base of the trunk too.  I don't think I'll be rushing out to plant anything in the area as seems odd that 3 trees have died within a short distance of each other.

    Thanks everyone for your help - my first post so wasn't sure what to expect!  I'm sure I'll be on again with photos of flowers asking for help identifying!  Very lucky to have a lovely garden with lots of great plants but as before I'm a little clueless so need to learn as much as I can!

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