Q: I was told when I purchased my “Little Gem” magnolia that it was a dwarf variety, but this tree is getting bigger and bigger. How tall and wide will it eventually get? I am already having difficulty walking around my sidewalk.

A: The standard Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora, can reach heights to of 80 feet with a spread of 30 to 40 feet. These trees are native to North America and are absolutely magnificent specimens but they also need plenty of room to grow. ‘Little Gem’ is a dwarf cultivar of the Southern Magnolia and it can potentially grow to heights of 25-30 feet with a spread of 10 to 12 feet. Another advantage the ‘Little Gem’, besides size, is it flowers within two to three years whereas the parent may take up to twelve years to produce flowers. However, ‘Little Gem’ is still a large tree unless you compare it to the parent. If your site does not have enough room to accommodate the ‘Little Gem’ consider moving it to another site and select another tree. It is probably not the best choice for planting too close to sidewalks, driveways or underneath eaves once you know its potential height and spread. If you need to choose another smaller tree, consider one of the dwarf crape myrtles – some are as small as 8 to 10 feet tall.

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