Question
QUESTION: To whom can answer my questions, it is greatly appreciated as I searched far and wide with no success. I have a good feeling about this site!

Anyway, I recently (in early july) bought and planted a Edith Bogue/Brown Velvet Evergreen Southern Magnolia, in any case, this is what I was told it was. Does this make sense? I know there are a few differemt strands of the cold hardy ever green magnolias like:

1. "24 below"
2. "Brown Velvet"
3. "Standard Edith Bogue"
4. "Brackens Brown Beauty"

So mine is supposedly a sub species of the edith bogue, a Brown velvet. Supposedly it is the hardiest of southern magnolias like its kind when it comes to the cold.

I planted this tree mid summer and it seemed to have took very well. the leaves spread out nice. Tonight is our first cold night since last fall here in Philadelphia Ps so I am hoping this tree can withstand what the lady who sold it to be said it can. A zone 6! Do you think it can? Also, do these tree's grow in winter in height, diameter or roots? What type of fertilizer do I use and when do I use it? It is a street tree as I wanted something "different" as long as it thrives which it has been doing, I will have what I was after. Do these tree's grow slow, fast or moderate in thickness and height? The trees trunk is about the thickness of a half dollar now and about 13 foot tall. Look forward to hearing your response. Please tell me anything you know on the species and your thoughts on my situation as I told you as well as answering my questions.

Thanks in advanced,
         Stephen

ANSWER: This is a cross between Magnolia grandifloria brown Velvet and Magnolia grandifloria Edith Bogue. I would think it takes the habits of both varieties.
Botanical Name:  Magnolia grandiflora 'Brown Velvet'
Common Name:  Southern Magnolia
Foliage Type:  Evergreen
Foliage Color:  Brown velvety underside on dark green
Flower Color:  Fragrant, white
Habits:  upright
Light:  Sun/part shade
Growth:  Moderate
Mature Height:  60-80'
Mature Spread:  30-50'
Notes:  Deer resistant
USDA Growing Zone:  6

EDITH BOGUE MAGNOLIA
Magnolia grandiflora 'Edith Bogue'
Moderate growing to 30 ft. tall, 15 ft. wide.
Dense evergreen tree with bold, glossy foliage and 8 inches wide, highly fragrant, creamy white flowers. One of the cold-hardiest forms for northern climates. A striking specimen tree for large areas. Keep moist until completely established. Plant in full sun for best growth and flowering. An elegant tree that grows to 30 feet tall and 15 feet wide.

So yes it will survive in the cold winter temperatures. Trees do not grow in height during the winter but the root system will grow some. they will grow moderate mainly due to the shorter growing season than in the Southern parts of the US.
Fertilize with  10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. I would fertilize in the spring after the last frost and again in late summer. IF you have not done so mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. This will help hold moisture around the roots.

Overall this tree should do fine in your climate.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again,

I was wondering if the buds on my Southern Magnolia )Brown Velvet) tree were going to stay on the tree all winter and bloom next season or if they are last years dead blooms and will eventually fall off? I am unsure how this works, could you elaborate? When do new buds grow? Also, when you say moderate growth -- if you had to take a educated all around ball park guess, what height will the tree grow per year? Also will it grow more in height or width at first? What do most tree's do first?

Is Philadelphia Pa (19137) in a lower zone 6 or closer to a seven? I found a fertilizer spike which had the closest to the 10/10/10 I could find. It was quite expensive. I used a spike as noted and also put some spikes in the dirty very far away from the tree for fun. I doubt the roots will reach those area's for a long time but figured by the time they do, might make the soil healthier. It said on the package to use the spike this time of year and in spring, was it a bad move?

Thanks again,
         Stephen

Answer
The buds you see are the leaf buds and yes they will stay all minter opening when the temperature is ok. The flower buds will be formed in the spring.

Growth rates are:  Slow - less than 1' per year; Moderate - 1' to 2' per year; Fast - more than 2' per year. The rate will depend on the growing conditions and the soil the tree is in.

Numerous fertilizer application methods are available. The best method for a given situation is based on the soil and foliar analysis. competing vegetation, soil type, desired effects and other considerations, such as use of property and location of ground water. No one method is best suited for all situations.

The most frequently used, easiest and least expensive method is broadcasting a granular fertilizer on top of the soil. A spreader is calibrated to deliver the desired amount of fertilizer over the root zone. After the application, the area must be watered to dissolve the fertilizer and wash it off the grass and into the soil. This method has the advantage of being inexpensive, using simple nutrients taken up by grass and other plants and thus not available to the trees. Smaller and more frequent applications need to be applied when grass is present.

Another method of applying fertilizer directly into the root zone is through the use of fertilizer spikes. These spikes are two to three inches long and made of a compacted fiber impregnated with fertilizer. The fertilizer is released slowly as the spike disintegrates in the soil. This method requires very few tools, but is expensive when treating large areas and slightly compacts the soil where the spike is inserted.

My opinion is use granular fertilizer and scatter it around the tree and water in. This spreads the fertilizer out and allows the roots to better absorb it. Tree spikes tend to concentrate the fertilizer and are slower to be absorbed by the roots. Spikes are fine for smaller trees.