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In the southern regions of Russia, with the onset of spring in parks and squares, the lily-colored magnolia blooms, surprising with abundant, richly bright flowering, which delights and pleases city dwellers. Flowering lasts for several weeks, accompanied by a wonderful, fragrant aroma.
Description of magnolia nigra
Magnolia lily of the hybrid variety Nigra is a deciduous, large - up to 4 m in height and width - shrub with a strongly branched, spherical crown. The trunk and branches of the culture are smooth, light gray in color. Alternately arranged, showy leaves fall for the winter. Cylindrical fruits ripen in late October - November. The uniqueness of the Nigra variety lies in the darkest of all magnolias in the color of the inflorescences. Outside, it is dark ruby, and inside it is white and lilac. Visually, this color combination looks almost black. Hence the name of this variety. The plant is light-requiring, but tolerates light shading in the southern regions, surprising with delightful flowering.
The high decorative qualities of the Nigra lily magnolia are clearly shown in the photo below. It looks spectacular in single and group plantings on lawn areas, against the background of a variety of evergreens, near water bodies and against the background of structures.
How Magnolia Nigra blooms
Simultaneously with the blooming of the leaves, vase-like, large flowers up to 12 cm long and 5 cm wide appear with a dark outer color and light - white, purple or gray inner blotches. The lily-flowered magnolia Nigra blooms twice - in spring and in mid-summer, sometimes until autumn.
Reproduction methods
You can propagate the magnolia Nigra lily flower in several of the following ways:
- layering;
- cuttings;
- seeds.
A well-established method of seed propagation, which has a high percentage of germination. It will not be difficult to propagate magnolia with cuttings that naturally take root around the mother bush. Layers quickly and easily take root, reaching moist, fertile soil. For cuttings, sphagnum moss is used, where prepared cuttings with roots are placed. They are pre-soaked in root-stimulating solutions. Before the appearance of several leaves, the cuttings of Magnolia Nigra are covered with plastic caps, they are regularly watered, fed and ventilated. Only after that they are planted in open ground in a permanent place.
Planting and caring for lily magnolia nigra
Complicated, special magnolia care is not required. The main thing is abundant watering, especially in drought. Required for good growth and development of fertilizing with mineral, organic fertilizers. Annually in the fall, the trunk circle is mulched with coniferous bark, peat or fallen leaves. Such a measure will provide additional fertilization with natural organic matter. To make the lily-colored magnolia Nigra decorative, they carry out obligatory pruning. This measure is also necessary to remove damaged, dried branches. The shallow root system does not allow to actively loosen the soil around the bush. Therefore, loosening must be done very carefully, trying not to damage the small roots.
Recommended timing
Magnolia lily Nigra is planted mainly in autumn - in September or early October, when the seedlings are at rest. As practice has shown, this will ensure 100% plant survival. Planting in spring - in April does not exclude the risk of freezing and death of young seedlings from recurrent frosts.
Site selection and soil preparation
The place for the lily-flower magnolia Nigra should be open, but protected from drafts and sharp gusts of northerly and easterly winds. It is worth choosing bright, sunny areas, ideally with protection from the scorching sun at noon. You should not place any plants near the shrub, and you should also not dig up the ground around. Magnolia will not thrive and bloom to its fullest on calcareous and saline soils. The soil should be nutritious, fertile and loose. The best option is slightly acidic or neutral soil. In the first year of life, its root system is gaining strength, so Nigra develops slowly, with difficulty. But proper care will ensure the beauty and power of the flowering shrub afterwards.
The size of the planting pit for lily-flower magnolia Nigra should be three times the volume of the root system of the seedlings. A little sand and rotted compost are added to the soil. Drainage is required at the bottom.
How to plant correctly
A little soil mixture is poured into the prepared hole with a drainage layer of crushed stone, broken brick or ceramic tiles, a lily-flower magnolia seedling Nigra is placed vertically and the depression is covered with the remaining soil. The root neck of Nigra should be placed 3-5 cm above the ground, which, after planting, is carefully compacted and spilled abundantly. After absorbing moisture around the bush, mulching is carried out with peat or coniferous bark.
The video about the magnolia lily flower Nigra will clearly demonstrate the planting rules:
Growing rules
Caring for Magnolia Nigra is simple and similar to the agricultural technology of other varieties of this flower crop, a description of which can be found on the website. Basic rules for growing:
- mulching with coniferous bark reduces the acidity of the soil and allows you to retain moisture, which makes it a must;
- weeding can only be done by hand;
- young bushes must be covered with burlap or spunbond for the winter, arranging a light pyramidal frame.
Watering
Magnolia of the Nigra variety requires abundant, regular watering throughout the growing season for its active growth. A young plant, up to 5 years old, must be watered once a week, but in dry periods, their number is increased up to 2 - 3 times weekly. The soil of the trunk circle should always be moist, but not wet. Warm water is used for irrigation.
Top dressing
The fertile land, the preparation for the seedlings, gives Nigra sufficient nourishment for two years. From the age of three, the plant needs regular feeding. In the spring, you can use organic in limited quantities. However, preference should still be given to mineral fertilizers. For this, ready-made mineral complexes are suitable, where the dosage is indicated in the instructions. Self-prepared composition is also suitable for feeding:
- 20 g of ammonium nitrate;
- 1 kg mullein;
- 15 g of urea;
- 10 liters of water.
For an adult bush, you will need 40 liters of solution for a single feeding, which is carried out 1 time for 30 - 40 days. With the onset of August, the amount of dressings is reduced, then they are completely stopped. So, magnolia lily-colored Nigra will be able to gradually pass into the dormant stage and prepare for a long winter period.
Pruning
When growing lily magnolia in the garden, there is no need for formative pruning. Only in single plantings as a tapeworm can the plant be slightly trimmed to give it a neater, decorative shape. Sanitary pruning is carried out only after flowering, with the elimination of frozen, damaged branches thickening the crown of dry shoots, as well as wilted flowers. In the spring, the lily-flowered magnolia Nigra is in a state of sap flow, and pruning will reduce the natural defenses of the shrub. Therefore, spring pruning of magnolia is not allowed! After cutting, the damaged areas are treated with garden varnish.
Preparing for winter
Magnolia lily flower Nigra has an average winter hardiness and in especially harsh winters, young shoots along with buds can freeze slightly. Therefore, a shelter for the winter from several layers of burlap wrapped around the trunk and branches will eliminate the risk of freezing. This is especially true for young plants.
Pests and diseases
When growing magnolia lily flora of the Nigra variety, it is worth considering that it is quite resistant to diseases and pests. At the same time, do not forget:
- you can harm the magnolia Nigra with a large amount of fertilizers: overfeeding will have a bad effect on its further development;
- rodents pose a threat to the root collar and small roots;
- the spider mite prefers to feed on the juices of the fleshy leaves, which makes the lily-flowered magnolia shed its foliage with the onset of summer;
- yellow specks with green veins on foliage indicate chlorosis.
Since lily magnolia does not tolerate saline, calcareous soils, the soil for it must be diluted with sour peat. This measure is the best prevention of chlorosis. Soil for Nigra can be brought from coniferous forests and provide abundant watering, which reduces soil salinity. From rodents, you can use foundation-based solutions, which are used to treat damaged areas.
Conclusion
Lily magnolia is extraordinarily effective during budding and flowering, exuding a pleasant aroma and attracting bees. The Nigra variety is excellent for growing in small gardens, on personal plots in southern and central Russia.
