Question
Hi, my question is about a magnolia that i bought for my mother-in-law 2 years ago. this bush/tree, i don't know which it is, is wide at the bottom with light to medium green leaves all over it but it has never flowered. The tag said something about it being a white star magnolia. Is this a bush or tree? will it ever flower? The bush/tree itself is big and beautiful and grows lovely in the spot where i planted it. it gets alot of sun in the spring/summer, lots of water and fertilizer. In the winter i cover it with a burlap sack for protection since we live in Michigan. i bought this plant because my mother-in-law's mom was named Magnolia. Am i doing the correct things? Thank you

Answer
Hi Janet,
Thanx for your question.  Even though this small tree is rated to zone 4, its flowers unfortunately, are often victim of late frosts.  That is, the flower buds are often killed in the colder climates of the northern U.S.  That's probably why it hasn't bloomed even though you are covering it with a burlap bag.  People who grow certain hydrangeas often experience this.  While the hydrangeas will grow out nice and green an leafy, late frosts often kill their bud blossoms and so some shrubs will not bloom even though the plant itself survives the cold, the flower buds do not.  Sometimes as the shrub or tree becomes more mature and hardier some of the blossom buds may make it through a hard freeze.  If you are using high nitrogen fertilizers this will inhibit floral production and increase green growth.  Try tree spikes rated for flowering trees which should have higher potassium and phosphorous as opposed to the nitrogen.  I hope this helps.
Tom