Gardening Inspiration
Are you planning on develop lilacs this season , but are n’t quite sure where to start out ? Lilacs are a democratic bush that can survive and flourish in many different hardiness zones . In this clause , certify master nurseryman Liz Jaros walk through how to engraft , grow , and care for Lilacs in your garden quad .
With a sweetened , intoxicating scentthat triggers nostalgia for a childlike time , lilac occupy a special place in most of our hearts . One whiff look at us right back to childhood , run unfounded through the neighbourhood on a warm spring day . The sun is out . wintertime is behind us . sprightliness is dependable .
So it ’s no wonder many of us accomplish for this classic landscape painting staple to fill our yards with some familiar and honest garden delight . Most belike , the simple acknowledgment of lilacs conjure images of the rambling , uncontrollable imperial flowering shrubswe recollect from the good old days , but the genus really boasts25 + speciesand G of delightful cultivars .
Lilacs require peck of sunshine , well drained stain , and right flow of air if they are to produce goodish , ample blooms year after year . get ’s take a closer feeling at the account of thispopular repeated bush , as well as their develop requirements , variety , uses , and maintenance requirements .
Contents
Lilac Plant Overview
swan in acme from 3 - foot ornamental shrub to 30 - foot Tree , lilac varieties are diverse in stature and personality . TheInternational Lilac Societyrecognizes white , purplish , juicy , lilac , pinkish , Battle of Magenta , and empurpled as the official coloring material categorization for lilac heyday . Lilacs require at least some winter quiescency for flower production , making themhardy in zone 3 - 7 .
History
Most lilac mintage have beginning in Asia , but the oldest recognise species isSyringa vulgaris(common lilac ) , a appendage of the Olea europaea family ( Oleaceae ) . This particular lilac dates back to 15 one C Europe , where it acquire in bouldered landscapes on the Balkan peninsula .
The word Syringa is derive from the Grecian word pandean pipe , which means pipage or tubing , because a lilac ’s sturdy stems could be hollowed out and used for utilitarian purposes . The word lilac is rout in the Persian / Arabic words for ‘ blueish . ’
Lilacs were impart to North Americain the 17th century , where they were grown hard in colonial landscape and grow cursorily in favor with the found sire . BothGeorge Washington and Thomas Jeffersonare said to have featured lilac in their formal garden .
Cultivation & Classification
Throughout the centuries , botanists have experimented with scent , flower color , efflorescence time , and maturation use to cultivate thousands ofnew lilac varieties . The distinctions are often so small that it can be unmanageable for even flavor professional to secern them apart , but most cultivars are sorted intoflowering bush , hedge , or tree formand originate from the following female parent mintage :
This is the lilac species that typically comes to mind for all of us . Afast farm shrubwith a angry habit that can reach height and widths of 20 feet if left unchecked , common lilacs typically feature smooth , kernel shaped leaves and traditional , cone - shaped blooms that are very fragrant . Common Lilac is planted as ashrub that flower in livid , and all shade of purple .
This belittled , round ornamentalshrubcomes in sizes thatdo not exceed 5 foot . It features modest , fragrant , late bloom flower and makes a prissy accent plant .
Growing 3 - 4 feet talland 8 - 10 feet broad , persian lilac feature tight ramification and a more compact habit . Flowers are humble and pale in color , and leaves are narrow . It takes shearing well and is commonly used as a down hedge .
A crossbreed between the Persian and rough-cut lilac , this loan-blend features Greco-Roman blush sizes on an8 - 12 metrical unit marvelous hedge . Foliage is small and similar to Persian , which makes it easy to shape . Blooms are more prolific than both of its parent species .
Large clusters of creamy to white flowers blow up in other summer on mosttree formlilacs , emit an odour that many find unpleasant . The leaves are oval and shiny . Trees may be single or multi - stemmed and max out at 30 base in height .
Propagation
Most lilac varieties are fecund and tight - develop when give the right conditions . While this make them borderline invasive in some options , it also give them one of theeasiest flowering shrubs to propagate .
Lilacs can be propagated in effect from suckers ( root sprouts ) , layerings , cutting , and bud grafts . Since nearly all lilac are loanblend and will not reproduce true to seed , propagation from seed is not recommended . lease ’s expect at the footprint involve in fool harvest home , layering , and cutting since they are the most unfailing techniques for novices .
Like many other clump - variant trees and shrubs , lilac will charge new branches out from its roots . When these‘runners ’ breach the dirt airfoil , they are typically removed to further the growing of a pocket-sized number of large branches rather than a prominent bit of small one . The former will yield a strong , more attractive lilac specimen .
But sucker removal can be a great way of life to reproduce lilacs , and it is perhaps the easiest method for newbie nurseryman . Typically undertaken in give or strike when temporary are nerveless and root growth is unassailable , here ’s how lilac sucker multiplication is done :
- Pro Tip : Make certain the lilac you ’re working with is not graft . Sometimes raiser will tie lilac cutting onto established root stock during baby’s room propagation . If there is a knot or a thick band at the base of its trunk and an obvious distinction between above and below earth growth , the sucker is plausibly come up from mystery stock and your newfangled lilac will not be a dead ringer .
This technique also lead clip , but it ’s well-fixed to do and will yield swell resultant role . Even from grafted stock . The appendage involvesbending a healthy lilac ramification downtoward the ground and essentially pinning it in the shit until it set roots . Here ’s how it ’s done :
Just as it sounds , propagating lilac from cutting necessitate pruning a modest section of lilac branch from an naturalized bush andturning it into a new plant . This is how you do it :
Planting
If you ’re appear to inaugurate some new lilac varieties to your landscape and/or make an impact correctly off , you ’ll likely be purchasing an established lilacfrom a nursery or garden centre .
Do not go shop until you ’ve determined that you have the idealistic planting position ( gay with well - drained soil and dependable atmosphere flow ) and bed on the button what size you want ( a modest accent shrub near the patio ? A marvelous hedge to screen the neighbors ? A major tree in the corner ? Next to other greatlilac companion plantsin your garden ? ) . This will help oneself you identify which cultivars to focalise on .
Once you ’ve honed in on a diversity that suits your fancy , you ’ll probably be depend at a whole row or section of them , and you ’ll have to choose which one(s ) to bring in home .
Lilacs are typically sold in # 5 , # 10 , or # 25 containers ( the size corresponds roughly but not exactly to the number of gallons each container holds ) or as balled and burlapped airfield grown plants . Let ’s take a close look at each selection and talk abouthow to plant them .
Generally verbalize , small containers will declare untried plants and tumid container will accommodate slenderly sr. plants . When selecting a lilac grown in a container :
Container grown lilacsshould be planted in pin or spring , when roots will have time to establish without strain from extreme rut or cold . Lilacs should be planted in a hole just as mystifying and double as blanket as the container in which they were grown . check that the top of theirroots sit slightly high than land point .
Field grown lilacs will be more build than container grown plants , and are the upright choice forinstant gratification . calculate on the greenhouse , they may be betray fit in to their current height ( 6 ’ , 7 ’ , etc . ) or by caliper , which is basically the breadth of their trunk ( 1 ” , 2 ” , etc . ) .
Whichever you select , it will be heavy and you will likely call for a lilliputian help get it in the earth . The option instructions are similar to container - grown lilacs , but the planting instructions require a few extra footprint :
How to Grow
get laid for being hardy and abject maintenance , lilac are fairly easy to growas long as their introductory motive are receive . permit ’s look at the requirements and practices that will provide your lilac with the best possible start and the most favorable conditions for a tenacious , respectable life .
Light
lilac requireat least 6 hours of sunand will expand when theydon’t get too much good afternoon sun . While they will survive in a slightly shady stain , they will not flower well or grow as quickly . They will also be more vulnerable to shade - related condition such as powdery mildew . There are also varieties thatcan handle more than 6 hour of Lord’s Day , provided it ’s not too hot in the afternoon .
Water
While lilac will require regular , evenwatering during their first yr , they rarely need supplemental watering in subsequent years . Give them a deep , deadening soaking once a week in spring and twice a week in summer for best result . As they do not wish loaded feet , verify drainage is skillful and grime never puddles .
Soil
Lilacs are fairly adaptable , but will thrive in fat , well - drain dirt . Before planting , amend soil with compost or humus to increase constituent content , and work in some peat or sand if soil incline toward clay . Be sure to select a site that will not get resist water supply .
Lilacs prefer inert to more or less alkalic soil . If you do n’t already know your soil ’s pH , you may want to have it tested . Shoot for a level somewhere between 6.5 and 7 . If pH is too downhearted , add a little lime to increase acidity . If it ’s too high , work some sulphate or bone meal into the dirt .
Depth
Lilacs should always be planted with theirroot flaressitting slightly above soil grade . Theroot flareis the point at which hush-hush roots violate the soil surface and narrow into a torso or thumping of trunk . Sitting the flare above filth level will ensure that roots are never flooded or submerge in H2O .
Spacing
Lilacs are typically spacedbetween 5 and 15 feet apart . This means 5 feet from bole to trunk , not from the bound of the plant or the edge of the hole . Check your cultivar ’s growing requirement and follow their infinite demand cautiously . Lilacs do not care to be crowded and want proper air circulation for tidy growing .
Climate & Temperature
Lilacs want a hibernating period so as to flower , so they produce best in climate that have a truthful wintertime . Tolerant of extreme temperatures , theydo not typically need shelter from deep freezes , unless they are exposed to high-pitched lake winds or something out of the ordinary .
Considered stout in zone 3 - 7 with a few varieties that are hardy to zona 8 , lilacs do not grow well in strong southern regions where the high temperature is intense . And they do not wish humidness , since they are prostrate to fungous conditions .
Fertilizing
Lilacsdo not need a lot of supplementary fertilizingin order to flower beautifully . And they should not be fertilized with a admixture gamy in atomic number 7 if abundant bloom are the objective . Nitrogen will give you lots of leaves and base growth , but fewer rosiness .
If you finger they need a boost , wait until their 2nd class of increase and run into them with a 5 - 10 - 5 fertilizer in early spring . Repeat every year or every other twelvemonth as needed but do n’t overdo it .
Maintenance & Care
Lilacs are experience for being pretty laid back , but they do requiresome regular maintenanceif they are to keep blooming yr after year . While they may not be ashigh maintenance as hydrangeas , you ’ll still require to practice even pruning , mulching , and deadheading .
By far the most important alimony task , lilac pruningmust be done immediatelyafter lilacs are done flowering for the time of year . As next year ’s buds mould on this year ’s ontogeny , the timing of this is important if you have high expectations for next time of year ’s blooms . Here ’s how it ’s done :
- Pro tip : If lilacs are newly establish or size is not an issue , do the fifth wheel , crossing branch , and sucker prune only and remove all spent blooms at a leaf prepare just below their stems .
If you ’re working with lilacs that are severely overgrown or out of ascendance , reckon consecrate them a major haircut to further a more realizable works . Lilacs can becut down to 6 - 12 inches above groundlevel , and they will almost certainly uprise back in better manakin !
Renewal prunes should be done in recent winter or other outpouring , during dormancy . This timing will reduce the betting odds of stress , disease , and pest infestation . Bloom meter is not an issue because renewed lilac will not flower for another brace of years . But when they do , it ’ll be worth the wait !
Keep the field around their trunk tidy andfree from grass and weeds , and observe a 2 - 3 inch layer of constitutional mulch beneath their canopy . barque and wood splintering mulch work well under heavy shrubs and hedges , but make trusted it ’s pull slimly aside from the industrial plant base and never touches the rootage flare .
Since the idealistic pruning time for lilac is forthwith after they are done blooming , many cultivar will notneed to be deadheaded . The exception isreblooming varietiessuch as Syringa ‘ Josee ’ and ‘ Bloomerang . ’ These lilacs are design to flower again during the time of year if in good order cared for .
This means you ’ll want to regularly keep up with deadheading , ortheir blooms will bug out to suffer . Many novice lilac gardeners seem to settle into this bunker when they piece a variety they are n’t intimate with .
For these form , prune off spent bloom with a sharp cutting just above the first set of leafage you receive as you slip your finger’s breadth down their stems . This will promote your lilac ’s roots to station up new bud for a second bloom in mid - summer . Some cultivar will even send up a third bloom in late summertime .
Varieties
While most lilac species and cultivars share similar characteristics ( large fragrant blooms , other time of year people of color , sun loving , etc . ) , each come with its own unique personality .
Most are flexibleand can be employed in a mathematical group or a solo planting , and most take determine well to suit multiple role . Here ’s a look at some delicious , but tried and true lilac you may want to see puzzle out into your landscape painting .
A descendant of the common lilac , Charles Joly has fragrant , two-fold bloom panicles in rich , grape vine hues . flower for up to four weeks and reachingheights of 10 - 12 feet , this vase - shaped bush is a lilac lover ’s darling .
Maxing out at 5 foot , Miss Kim is anearly spring bloomerand a butterfly stroke magnet . A gnome derived from the Korean lilac lineage , this one has round , dark green leafage that turn burgundy in gloaming . It can be planted as a stand - alone garden stress or grouped and shaped into a mini hedge .
With a graceful , arching riding habit and vast purplish peak clusters , Sunday works well near a fence or mandril . It blooms in other spring , reaching heights of 10 foundation and widths of 8 feet at maturity . As a cross between hedging and shrub lilacs , Sunday takes shape very well but still pours on theclassic lilac charm .
With upbeat pink blossoms that pass off a strong , seraphic scent in early summertime , Miss Canada grows6 - 9 feet tall and wide . An early summertime bloomer , this shrub steals the show in fall , when its leaves turn over a ample chickenhearted people of color .
This dwarf , compact bush is cover almost completely with pink flower clusters in former spring . Maxing out at 3 feet orotund , Scents andSensibility Pink is also a rebloomer . Shear back after each bloom period of time and flowers will keep coming all summer long .
Growing 20 - 30 feet tall with a spread of 25 foot , Ivory Silk has a graceful , oval shape . Creamy , 10 - in white panicle grow prolifically and breathe apungent smell for 1 - 2 weeks in early summer .
At 8 - 10 feet tall and wide of the mark , Royalty makes a with child privacy screen . dour purple budsopen to shades of lavender in former summertime , making this one of the later flowering varieties . impenetrable , dark foliage take pruning well and grows quickly .
Plant Uses
Some lilac species feature tight ramification habits and little leaf sizes , which makes them ideal forhedges . Anything in the persian lilac family can be shear into a stately moulding plant life for your patio or walkway , but they will not be tall enough to ply much privacy .
Common lilac varieties work well asprivacy concealment . They are looser in build and give off a more natural vibe but grandiloquent enough to create a visual roadblock . When planted in a rowing , they will finally grow together like aliving fencing .
Little foliage lilac hybrids are typically respect for their impenetrable cornucopia of flush and incorporated into the landscape as gnome , floweringshrubs . They might be have singularly , in a chemical group , or in a quarrel .
Lilac tree can be used as shade trees oranchor plantingsand are typically not planted in group or rows . They are stand - alone ornamentals valued for their blooms and mid - sized form .
Lilac blooms were originally harvest for medicinal aim and used inelixirs and potion . Their scent is hard feature in max , perfumes and air fresheners .
Lilac blooms are wholly eatable , but not super tasty . We often see them infood and drinksbecause they compact a punch of semblance , but their gall is typically mask by some kind of carbohydrate or salt . Lilac efflorescence also make wonderfulcut peak , but they will only last a few days inside .
Pests
Lilacs are potent , resilient , and resistant to most insects . But , like with all plants , there are certain pesterer that you ’ll need to watch out for . Lilac pests can be stopped or controlled if you catch them ahead of time , and act fleetly . Let ’s look at the most usual pests you ’ll grapple with .
This is the most common lilac aggressor and is typically found on older branch first . Adult borer are wasp - like moths withclear wing and cherry-red heads , while larvae are white - pinkish cat with red - brown head .
Look for cracked barque , broken branches , and/or stem muddle that may exude sap or a sawdust - like excrement to indicate lilac borer infestation .
If borer are enamor early , they can be efficaciously managed bypruning off limbsthat are being assault , so heedful monitoring is key to addressing this pest . Just jazz that recovering lilacs may need special watering and attention for a while .
If a large mass or span of lilacs are being tire and you sense like you ’re enduring a major attack , a pyrethroid or bark spray program in pin might help eradicate their larvae and discourage an infestation next season .
Most of this pest ’s hurt is done by its larvae , which are modest , white , andless than ¼ inch long . Yellow , squiggly descent ( or mines ) on your lilac ’s leaves will show you where they have been boring through the tissue . by and by in the time of year , a rolled foliage may point that caterpillar are pupate .
While not usually lethal , miner damage can be unsightly and should be dealt with before it catch too severe . Prune off leaves that have mines or pupa , and monitor carefully . Keep the areas beneath your lilacsfree from leaf debrito reduce leafminer habitats .
These small , shell insects are about1/16th in longand attend like midget greyish or brown wart . They typically suck sap from a lilac ’s shank , which may weaken them and make them prostrate to breakage . Not usually a major scourge if caught early , exfoliation can beeffectively managed with spot pruningandhorticultural oil color .
Diseases
Again , lilacs aretypically disease resistantif implant and cared for by rights . But , there are a few diseases that are more commonly seen . If get early , most can be treated . If not , it can do discolouration of your plant , or even plant death , so other interference is key .
By far the most usual lilac affliction , powdery mildew presents with white , calcareous folio splodge thatturn gray or black laterin the season . Typically , your first signs of it will come along on crushed leaves in times of high humidity and wet .
The right news program is , powdery mildew is more of an esthetic issue than a wellness issue , and your lilacs should fully find by the next season . Cut off affected leaves , or ignore them completely until the anthesis season is over , then give your lilac a good prune .
Thin your lilac ’s fundament to boost undecomposed air circulation . pronto hit fallen leaves and branches , asmildew can overwinter in the soiland show up next year .
Some lilac cultivars claim to beresistant to powdery mould . view ‘ Charles Joly , ’ ‘ Sensation , ’ or ‘ Old Glory ’ for the landscape if you ’d like to discourage the disease from spreading in your yard .
Another moisture - touch on lilac disease , bacterial blight presents withbrown - total darkness leaves , distorted shoots , and sickly efflorescence . You might see sensationalistic halos on your leaves or blackening blossom buds if you catch it too soon enough .
due to bacteria that is always present on lilac leaves but flourishes when they ’re wet , blight makes lilacs more prostrate todamage from the coldness . Again , aggressive pruning and seasonal bed cleanup are key to direction , as is proper watering to deoxidise moisture on the leaves .
This fungus presents withdramatic John Moses Browning of the leavesat your lilac ’s root word and works its way up . It typically afflicts plants during seasons that have overweening amount of rain .
On branches with diagnostic leaves , you will see healthy buds for next year ’s growth whenleaf spotis the culprit . Leaves may be clip off and buds left in place . Again , be aggressive with the post - bloom pruning and cleansing , and this disease will not pose a foresightful terminus threat .
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes , but only if youchoose a dwarf varietyand a container that can conciliate a lilac ’s oversized ancestor system .
No , lilacs have anaggressive growth habitbut they do not spread or cause damage when planted and pruned right .
No , anything above hardiness zona 7 typically will be too raging and humid for lilacs to do at their good .
Final Thoughts
show in a new time of year of backyard burgers and walks in the park , lilacs receptive a magical doorfor most of us . take the air through and you ’ll be treated to a multi - receptive experience like no other . take in some lilacs into your landscape painting , care for them properly , and enjoy the show year after twelvemonth .
