Need help for magnolia tree

Question: Hi - we planted a native magnolia tree in our partially shady side yard about 1 1/2 years ago. It has never done very well but this year looks especially weak. As you can see from the attached picture it does not have many leaves. We are planning to submit a soil sample to see if amending the soil would help. Should we be feeding the tree? Do you think the spot is too shady and would benefit from cutting back surrounding foliage? Thanks so much

responder: Answered by theHome and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied April 14, 2023, 1:14 PM EDT
response: Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a great native plant. They take a good bit of time to grow into themselves so try not to worry. (I got one last year that looks very much like yours, but have also watched a field of them mature nearby over many years.)  They are semi-evergreen in our climate, especially when young. Pretty soon it will wake up and push out some new foliage. You shouldn't need to fertilize it, but keep it watered if we don't get about an inch of rain a week. (They are also known as "swamp magnolia" so they like moist/wet soils).  They like part shade but if that area is really shady and there are still few leaves in the summer, you could help a bit by opening up the area to more light.  This page from Missouri Botanical Garden will tell you more:  https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=282522   Christine

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 05, 2023, 11:58 AM EDT
response: Hi - I was trimming this tree/ shrub this morning and noticed that something is eating a lot of the bark as pictured above. Some of the leaves are also yellow.  We have another bush/ tree of the same type around the  side of the house. A few of its branches are also affected but not nearly so much.   What should I do about this? Are the yellow leaves related to this issue or is that do to the dry year?   Thanks so much   Cassandra

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 06, 2023, 9:56 AM EDT
response: Hello Cassandra,  This appears to be old egg-laying damage from the periodical cicada emergence a couple of years ago. Trees and shrubs that became scarred by their activity "heal" at different rates. (Quotes used because plants don't exactly heal like people do, but they can close-over injuries and form scars.) Sometimes the damage to the twig is enough to weaken it to make storm breakage more likely, but not always, and it's a natural process that plants have adapted to so rarely is a concern needing intervention. If anything, you can trim some of those scarred twig tips off, but we do not recommend removing too much growth as this would stress the plant more so than the cicada injuries in the first place.  Yellowing leaves can have a wide variety of causes but a minimal amount is normal during the growing season as plants react to changing amounts of sunlight (such as if their newest growth is shading their older growth too much in combination with other objects casting shade) or to drought stress. We are currently quite dry in most areas of Maryland and many garden plants would benefit from being monitored for watering needs. Feel the soil around six inches deep near to their root zone and water thoroughly if the soil is beginning to feel somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. (If damp when checked, the plant probably has enough water without intervention.) Leaves don't re-green once they start yellowing like this, so they will still fall off at some point, but the pace or extent of yellowing should abate if the trigger for it is not a serious or long-term issue affecting the plant.  Miri