magnolia tree question

I have a magnolia tree in a pot (its about 3ft high) I have had it for about 3 years last year it had  leaves but no flowers or buds and this year it looks again like it is just leaves no flowers, has it got to mature a bit first or am I doing something wrong?

I'm not sure but I would think that it needs water at the time of bud formation, & in a pot there is a chance that it won't get enough. Even with last years wet. pot plants deflect the rain from it's leaves.

True Debz.

Last year my Magnolia 'Stellata' lost it's flower buds quite quickly - they either flowered poorly or fell off without opening.
Gave them a feed of Sequestrene (chelated iron) in January/february time and this year the flowering has been much longer and they look much happier.

It isn't in a ericacious specific bed, although I did plant in a pile of ericacious compost, but the irises and other plants don't seem to unhappy about sharing the space - in fact the giant irises I bought at Wisley a couple of years ago might have their best year yet as well!! :happy:
Bonus!

I know that rhodo's and azaeleas need a lot of water during the summer so if you have had dry summers and your plant is in a pot, that might have been part of its problem.  A gardener at a local nursery also recommend a feed with sulphate of potash when the schools break up for the summer.  Up here that is the last week of June as apparently that is good for the next years developing flowers.