Down here in South Louisiana, we know a thing or two about wind. Between the summer storms, tropical fronts, and the occasional hurricane rolling off the Gulf, our trees take a beating year after year.
The southern magnolia—our proud, glossy-leaved beauty—is no exception.
But with a little thoughtful pruning and care, you can help your magnolia stand strong when the winds start howling. First off, let’s talk about wind load. That’s just a fancy way of saying how much force the wind puts on the tree’s canopy.
A thick, dense magnolia full of leaves acts like a big sail in a storm—catching the wind instead of letting it pass through. The goal of good pruning is to thin that sail just enough so the breeze can move through the branches, not push against them.
Now, this doesn’t mean hacking off big limbs or “topping” your tree. Please don’t do that. Topping weakens the structure and invites disease. What you want instead is selective thinning. A professional arborist—like me—looks for places where branches are crowded or crossing each other. We’ll remove smaller interior limbs to open up the canopy, all while keeping that classic magnolia shape.
Pay close attention to co-dominant stems
those double or triple trunks that grow from the same point. In high winds, those are weak spots. If your magnolia’s young, train it early to have one strong central leader. For older trees, we can use light structural pruning to reduce stress where those stems meet.
Another trick is to reduce end weight on long limbs. Heavy, overextended branches tend to snap under wind pressure. By shortening them slightly—never more than about a quarter of their length—you ease the strain without changing the tree’s natural look.
Healthy roots are just as important. Keep mulch spread wide around the base, about two to three inches deep, and never pile it against the trunk. Water deeply during dry spells and avoid compacting the soil with heavy equipment. Strong roots make a stable tree. And finally, remember that timing matters.
The best time for pruning magnolias is late winter or very early spring, before new growth starts. That gives wounds time to seal before the humid months set in, reducing the chance of disease.
A well-pruned magnolia isn’t just prettier—it’s tougher.
By giving it room to breathe and grow naturally, you’re helping it weather the storms that define our Louisiana life. And when the next big wind blows through, you’ll be glad you took the time to do it right.
— Written with a lifetime of pruning magnolias under southern skies.
