Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Pruning Saucer Magnolia in Eatontown, NJ.

Topic:
Author: Jimmy Mills
Date: Saturday - January 12, 2013
From: Eatontown, NJ

QUESTION: Adult Saucer Magnolia (tulip tree). Branches were getting heavy to where they were ready to break. I pruned them back leaving 1 to 3 inch diameter cuts on many branches. Should I put something on the cuts or cover the cuts so that they don't rot?

ANSWER:

There are are 8 Magnolia species listed in our Native Plant Database , but Saucer Magnolia is not among them because it is a Hybrid.

These two links will tell you more about your plant.

   about.com

   missouribotanicalgarden.org

Painting the cuts on trees with pruning paint used to be highly recommended. Today, the tendency is to leave them unpainted. To learn more about pruning, check out these three links:

   purdue.edu 

   ces.ncsu.edu

   washington.umd.edu