On Sep 21, 11:22*pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard ...

Where are you? *That is, what is your climate?

North of Albany, N.Y.

If it lives okay in your area and also has pink and white flowers, it is
definitely NOT a M. gradiflora (southern magnolia). *Instead, it's
possibly a M. soulangeana or M. stellata. *In any case, it's most likely
a deciduous magnolia.

Yes, definitely deciduous.

If it blooms in the spring, prune it right after it blooms. *If it
blooms in the summer, prune it just as the leaf buds start to swell in
the early spring. *Entire branches should be removed; a branch that is
merely headed will heal very slowly and might die.

Well, where's a "branch" start/end? Can I trim it at any fork or do I
have to go back to the trunk? Should I seal the end where I prune?

Do not try to grow anything under it. *Planting under it is not good for
the magnolia itself. *It cannot take repeated disturbance of surface
roots (e.g., to plant annuals, divide bulbs and perennials, or aerate a
lawn) in its root zone. *It also does not like foot traffic in its root
zone.

Unfortunately, it's in sandy soil on a slight grade and I'm getting
erosion. I can live with it not being grass (so there isn't foot
traffic mowing and aeration, etc.) but I need something there to hold
the soil. A low-lying ground cover is fine. Any recommendations?