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Anyone order magnolia bare root seedlings from Conservation Dept?

Posted on 6/25/14 at 9:36 pm
Posted by NEMizzou
Columbia MO
Member since Nov 2013
1372 posts
Posted on 6/25/14 at 9:36 pm
I've got a rather large yard with zero mature trees and ordered some tulip tree bareroot seedlings from the MO Conservation department three years ago. Most are doing great but I planted one year when we had a huge drought and terrible heat so I do have a couple that didn't survive. So I have a few holes to fill and, while working on campus near the main admin building at Mizzou I fell in love with two trees which are varieties of magnolia, the Southern Magnolia and the Loebner Magnolia. I'd love to order some of these for my yard but nurseries charge pretty exorbitant prices.

The MO Conservation Dept doesn't sell magnolia bareroots because they're definitely not native to our state, but both of these will grow here (albeit awfully slowly which I'm fine with).

I was going to go state by state in the South and see what each conservation department had to offer, but before I did I wondered if any of my Rant brethren had ordered from their local conservation department before and if they shipped out of state (MO does). Anyone have any experience doing this?
Posted by parrothead
big salty ham
Member since Mar 2010
5143 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 9:43 am to
Calling all Mississippians
Posted by Wtodd
Tampa, FL
Member since Oct 2013
68486 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 11:11 am to
And Dawgs
Posted by NEMizzou
Columbia MO
Member since Nov 2013
1372 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 2:43 pm to
Thanks...I looked up Mississippi and couldn't find much info there (their department of conservation website is awfully sparse) and Georgia doesn't sell magnolia seedlings. But I appreciate the help, looks like I am going to have to buy them from a nursery.
Posted by Hardy_Har
MS
Member since Nov 2012
16332 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 2:45 pm to
Aren't Magnolia trees a little tall for Missouri?
Posted by NEMizzou
Columbia MO
Member since Nov 2013
1372 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 2:56 pm to
quote:

Aren't Magnolia trees a little tall for Missouri?


We've got tall trees in Missouri but they're not Magnolias...the quad that flanks our main administrative building on campus has 100+ year old oaks, but Magnolias will grow. Since they weren't planted here until the early to mid-1900's there aren't any big ones here though, certainly not like you'd see in the South. The Loebner Magnolia is an ornamental tree so it doesn't get that big anyway, but obviously the Southern Magnolia could be a big tree (but probably not as far north as we are).
Posted by silverdawg
Member since Mar 2014
608 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 2:56 pm to
Southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora, is an aristocratic tree. It grows well throughout Georgia, is widely adaptable to a variety of soils and has few pest problems. With glossy evergreen foliage and large white fragrant blossoms, it truly is one of the most handsome and durable native trees for our Southern landscapes.

Most cultivars of Southern magnolia are seedling selections that have been vegetatively propagated, which results in a wide variety of tree shapes, leaf sizes and leaf coloration. Some nurseries also sell seedling trees; however, seedling trees may take 10 years or more to flower.

I would recommend planting some Kudzu sprigs underneath the Georgia Magnolia's which will give them that authentic feel and leave your neighbors breathless in envy.

LINK
Posted by NEMizzou
Columbia MO
Member since Nov 2013
1372 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 3:04 pm to
quote:

I would recommend planting some Kudzu sprigs underneath the Georgia Magnolia's which will give them that authentic feel and leave your neighbors breathless in envy.


Kudzu does sort of grow in Missouri but not well. Thank God.
Posted by UMTigerRebel
Member since Feb 2013
9819 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 3:42 pm to
quote:

I would recommend planting some Kudzu sprigs underneath the Georgia Magnolia's which will give them that authentic feel and leave your neighbors breathless in envy.

This made me
Posted by TheDrunkenTigah
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
18170 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 3:47 pm to
Might want to check the legality of this. It might seem like nothing but bringing non-native anything across state lines is becoming more and more of a big deal.
Posted by NEMizzou
Columbia MO
Member since Nov 2013
1372 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 3:53 pm to
quote:

Might want to check the legality of this


Yeah, I'm talking about going through the Conservation Department and having them shipped to me so I think I would be OK but that's a great point. MO Conservation Dept will ship but only to certain states, so this may be a non-starter on those reasons alone. On the Arbor Day Foundation's website there were several states they wouldn't ship to, presumably for the same reason. We're dealing with Emerald Ash Borers here probably because of that same reason.
Posted by scrooster
Resident Ethicist
Member since Jul 2012
42478 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 10:42 pm to
You can go through Clemson and get them here. It's one of the few things the taterheads do well ... keeping us supplied with plants and trees.

I have a lot of fruit trees on my property but I also have four large magnolias. If you are prone to droughts there is another species I'd go with instead. I've got a couple of them on my property, they grow faster and are less prime to drought I just can't think of the name at the moment. I'll try to find out for you. I've actually got one growing just off my front porch that has reached 20' in about ten years. I'll try to take a picture.

In the meantime I highly recommend a book by Dr Eric A Bourdo Jr. The Illustrated Book of Trees.
Posted by KCM0Tiger
Kansas City, MISSOURI
Member since Nov 2011
17034 posts
Posted on 6/26/14 at 10:48 pm to
I'll be damned....an amicable post from Scrooster.

You should feel honored, OP.
Posted by Kentucker
Rabbit Hash, KY
Member since Apr 2013
20055 posts
Posted on 6/27/14 at 12:49 am to
I hated moving from Georgia because I had the most magnificent Southern Magnolia in my front yard. I loved that tree. The blooms were dinner plate size and the leaves were as shiny as spit-polished boots. I don't think there's another species of tree that's as beautiful.
Posted by NEMizzou
Columbia MO
Member since Nov 2013
1372 posts
Posted on 6/27/14 at 9:51 pm to
quote:

scrooster


Much obliged Scrooster; I will see if I can get that book here at the library at Mizzou.

We don't get much in the way of droughts; the one we had a few years ago was the worst by far that I can ever remember. We usually get plenty of rain, the main thing we have to worry about is the cold killing most of the magnolia cultivars out there when they are young since we are at the absolute top of the zones most magnolias will grow in.

I'll take a look at Clemson's website/extension service if they have something along the lines of Mizzou's, hopefully they'll have what I'm looking for. Thanks to everyone who replied, I really appreciate it!
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