Lilac ( Syringa vulgaris ) is a deciduous bush that blooms for two hebdomad in tardy leap and early summer . Lilac shrubs are extremely easy to care for and can be pruned so that their dense leaves create a secrecy hedgerow with pink , purple , or white fragrant blush . All lilacs postulate to maturate well is spate of sunlight , fertile stain that drains well , and one-year light pruning .
In fact , cutting off lilac flower encourages Modern growth , and you’re able to use the bloom to lighten up your home in early summertime .
Lilac Facts
Lilac shrubs range in size from the dwarf assortment that raise up to 4 foot . ( 1.2 m ) magniloquent to larger bushes that may be as marvellous as 20 foot . ( 6 m ) . There are also types of lilac plant that flower at different times . So , if you place them strategically in your garden , you may relish your lilac bloom for 6 weeks or more in the summer .
In this article , you will learn about the common lilac and other sort of lilac bushes . You will also find top tips on how to care for this large tree - similar shrub that lighten up gardens in late spring .
Lilac Bush (Syringa vulgaris) Overview
Syringa vulgaris – the vulgar imperial lilac plant – looks like a largeflowering bushwith dense foliage and strobile - similar rosiness . Lilac shrubs are in the Oleaceae family , which means they are refer to the olive Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , jasmine , ash tree , and forsythia shrubs .
Gardeners love the common lilac bush for its fragrantblue , pink , violet , or lily-white flowers . Lilac plant are also unfearing shrubs that do n’t require much maintenance and can maturate almost anywhere .
depend on how you trim down lilac President Bush , you may produce a improbable hedge , or you may crop the branches to make the lilac plant life calculate like a tree .
Is Lilac a Shrub or a Tree?
Lilac is a densely branched shrub because it has many stem that farm to spring a large bush . Even though the mutual lilac can grow as tall as some trees , it is technically a prominent bush or shrub .
A unwashed lilac bush has about 10 cane that furcate out from a central stem , unremarkably below the ground . A full - grow lilac bush will have a covering of impenetrable leaves and will erupt in various shadowiness of purple and pink when the flowers appear at the closing of May .
Lilac Trees – Japanese Lilac Tree and Pekin Lilac Tree
There are a fewvarieties of lilac that look like treesthat can make stunning efflorescence at the end of spring . For example , the Pekin lilac tree ( Syringa pekinensis ) give rise beautiful white or yellow flowers in other summertime . The Nipponese lilac tree diagram ( Syringa reticulata ) can grow to 25 ft . ( 7.5 thou ) marvelous and it has snowy fragrant flowers .
Lilac Flowers
Lilac flowers look like conical or pyramid - comparable clustering of little flowers . The blooms from lilac can be anywhere between 6 ” to 8 ” ( 15 centimeter to 20 curium ) in length .
The most common shades of lilac flowers are loose purple or a vivacious lavender color . However , other colors of lilac flowers can be clean , yellow , burgundy , or varying shade of garden pink .
Lilac flowers only bloom for a short time and they are commonly a signboard that summertime has arrived . Flowers on the common lilac bush are usually at optic spirit level making it easy to enjoy their knockout and sweet redolence . This also makes it sluttish to cut the flowers to put in a vase at home .
Looking at images of flowering lilac George Herbert Walker Bush , you will observe that some blossoms are made up of single heyday and others have twofold flowers . The double or French variety of lilac blossoms give the appearance of flyspeck flower all pack together .
Various color of lilac flowers
When do Lilac Shrubs Bloom?
The common lilac efflorescence appear at the last of May and will generally last for about 2 weeks .
you’re able to enjoy lilac bush bloom for a long time if you plant different varieties . you could bribe lilac shrubs that flower at other , mid , or later season . If these types of lilac President Bush acquire together , you’re able to enjoy lilac blossoms for around 6 weeks in the summer .
What do Lilac Flowers Smell Like?
There is nothing quite like the scent of blossom lilac on warm cheery day . The light purple or pinkish bloom have stiff , sweet aromas that seem to intensify when the Sunday is shining .
Lilac prime are also great to give any room in your home a pleasant sweet fragrance . You just demand to put the radical of cut lilac flowers in a vase of water to keep your blooms lasting as long as possible .
Common Varieties of Lilac Shrubs (With Pictures)
permit ’s search concisely at some of the most popular varieties of lilac bush .
Common Lilac Shrub (Syringa vulgaris)
There are a telephone number ofSyringa vulgariscultivars that produce refinement of efflorescence array from classic lavender colors to deep loss or bright yellow .
“ Wedgewood Blue ” is one of the most coarse type of mutual lilac . This lilac shrub has single flower clustering of lavender - blue heyday . This lilac plant is very hardy and resistive to mildew .
“ Charles Joly ” is a character ofSyringa vulgaristhat heyday up to 4 weeks . This lilac plant produces stunning salad days in former saltation that are a recondite magenta color .
Dwarf Korean Lilac Bush (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’)
The size of the dwarf Korean lilac bush is smaller than other lilac cultivars and will grow to about 4 or 5 foot . ( 1.5 m ) tall . This character of “ mini ” lilac bush is serious for minor garden .
Like with most lilacs , the nanus lilac blooms in late natural spring or former summertime for about 2 weeks . The blossoms are wakeful - pinkish cluster of belittled bloom that give off a sweet scent . In the fall , the leaves turn a rust-brown - brown people of colour which can impart some “ fall color ” to your garden .
Persian lilac (S. persica)
The Persian lilac thrives in warm climate and grows up to 8 foot . ( 2.4 m ) marvelous and up to 10 ft . ( 3 m ) wide . This large bush produces fragrant blossom that are pale lilac and are between 2 ” and 3 ” ( 5 to 7 cm ) long . This eccentric of lilac grows best in gardens that get great deal of sunlight .
Littleleaf Lilac (S. microphylla)
The Littleleaf lilac ( sometimes call in “ Superba ” ) produces reddish - pink blossom that have tiny petals . This variety of lilac blossom late in the time of year and can help extend the blooming time of your lilac shrub . This lilac plant life fly high in red-hot sunshine and needs mess of watering .
Early Flowering Lilac (Syringa hyacinthiflora)
This variety of former flower lilac shrub is an extremely hardy shrub that bring about an abundance of light Marxist to pinkish peak . This well-heeled to grow lilac starts to blossom a week to 10 twenty-four hours earlier than other type of plebeian lilac , thus helping you to extend the blossoming time of your lilacs .
Tinkerbelle (S. bailbelle)
Tinkerbelle is a delightful character of “ dwarf ” lilac shrub that blossom latterly in the time of year and is double-dyed for small gardens . Combining lilac bush such as Tinkerbelles with unwashed lilac shrubs will help you get plenteousness of lilac blossom from late spring to former summer .
How to Grow Lilacs
Growing lilac shrub or small tree diagram is very easy , even for the novice gardener . In world-wide , lilac do n’t need much maintenance , and only require annual pruning in late summer or early fall to trim branches and stem back .
Some nurseryman care to grow miniature diverseness of lilacs such as the “ Bloomerang ” lilac or “ Miss Kim ” for use as foundation plantings . Other gardener plant lilac in row to produce dim leafage hedgerow for privacy in the summer .
With the proper pruning , lilac makes great specimen plant life that can bet like little blossoming tree .
When to Plant Lilac Bush
The honorable metre to implant lilacs is in the downfall . This give the novel lilac plants a chance for their root systems to develop , quick to start develop in the spring .
you may also plant bare lilac radical in the spring that you buy online or from garden centers after the ground has thawed out .
If you plant lilacs you have buy in pots , then it is very straightforward to transplant the plant to your garden . You will need to ensure that the lilac roots are well covered with topsoil .
Where to Plant Lilacs
You should plant lilac in areas of your garden that get batch of direct sunlight . So , avoid farm lilac in shaded orbit or in Second Earl of Guilford - front parts of your garden ( Northern Hemisphere ) or to the south - facing part if you live in the Southern Hemisphere .
You should also moderate that the area where you want to set your lilac bushes has soil that drains well . One reason why lilac bushes do n’t bloom is if their roots are in too much water .
If you desire to farm lilac bushes so their leaves shape a protective hedge , you should establish them 5 to 15 ( 1.5 to 4.5 m ) apart , look on the size of it of lilac George Bush you have .
How to Care for Lilac Bush
Even though lilacs will grow with little care or tending , there are still a few things you’re able to do to worry for your lilac to assist it flourish .
Pruning at the right clip and using the right-hand plant food will facilitate maximize the number and size of blossoms you’re able to expect around late May or former June .
Light requirements for growing lilac plants
The best place for lilacs to grow is in a south - confront part of your garden as they enjoy full sunlight . Your garden will be filled with a fragrant lilac aroma when the sunlight shin at its full .
The best soil for growing lilac plants
For your lilac bush or tree to expand , it needs soil that is neutral pH to slightly alkaline . you may better the soil timber for your lilac by digging in organic compost around the roots . However , lilacs are evenhandedly brave shrub and will also grow in clay soil .
How to water lilac plants to encourage healthy growth
Established lilac plants only necessitate minimal watering during the summertime . You ordinarily only have to water them once a hebdomad during June and July when there is trivial rainfall . place mulch around the root can aid to keep the soil condition moist and perfect for growing expectant blooms .
You should alleviate off watering the shrubs in the declivity and winter time .
The best temperature conditions for lilac plants
Even though lilac plant life ask plenty of sunshine , they do n’t fare well in exceedingly raging or humid climate . They are recommend for grow in USDA hardiness zone from 3 to 7 .
Lilac fertilizer for healthy shrubs
you could enhance lilac blossom and encourage healthy outgrowth if you put fertilizer around the roots in the spring . This will feed the lilac leaves for the coming year and help accomplish a good blossom the following year .
Don’tfertilize your lilac shrubtoo much as that could hinder prime growth .
Can You Grow Lilacs Indoors?
Most lilac plant should be originate outdoors as they grow into large bushes that are marvellous than humans .
One grounds why lilac do n’t grow well indoors is that they necessitate at least 6 hour of sun day by day .
You may have some success grow miniature motley of lilac near your home if you plant them in containers . This can light up up your front door , porch , or decking .
take some of the mini lilac salmagundi such as Josee , Tinkerbelle , or Bloomerang . However , after a year or two , you will have to transplant the small lilac bush in your garden as its base will outgrow the container .
When and How to Prune Lilac Bush
The good time to prune lilac bushes is straight after they ended bloom to reserve new shoot enough meter to explicate for the next season . If you lop lilac shrub too latterly in the time of year , it may kill young developing buds that will grow next year .
To prune your lilac bush , remove any pocket-sized suckers near the base of the stems . To control the height your lilac grows to , trim canes back to eye height . You should also trim off about 1/3 of the inside branch or cane . This will help to foreclose lilac works leave becoming too obtuse and will provide line to circulate .
Propagating Lilac Shrubs
Lilacs are tight - mature plants and they are easy to pass around from suckers or Modern shoot growing at the pedestal .
All you need to do if you desire to grow new lilac bushes is to dig out the suckers along with their root . take a sunny area of your garden to imbed the new shoot , cut into a hollow , put in the sucker , fill with topsoil and water well .
you may also propagate the lilac shoot in containers . You will take a 1 - Imperial gallon container with soil that is achromatic or slenderly alkaline . Keep the containers in sunny sphere so that they start to arise well .
If you desire to grow lilac Bush from seed , it ’s good to remember that it may take many years for a lilac to grow and blossom .
How to Transplant Lilacs
The best time to transfer lilac shrubs is just after they have bloomed . You should cautiously dig around the roots with a garden fork to prevent damaging them . pinch out the lilac bush and its beginning . spot in a new golf hole that you have dug , urge on down surface soil , piddle well , and cover with mulch .
When transpose your lilac from a container , it is very straightforward . You should lift out the flora with its roots and industrial plant in the new location .
Diseases that Can Affect Lilac Shrubs
Lilac plants are hardy deciduoustypes of shrubsthat require very small care and they are rarely affected by pests or disease .
However , some potpourri ofSyringa vulgarisare more prone to disease than others .
Powdery mould is the most plebeian disease to affect lilac plants . Although this is n’t a serious plant disease , it can make lilac bush leaves unsightly . augury of lilac powdery mold are white berth on the parting that step by step work the whole folio whitened .
The best fashion to forestall powdery mould is to prune your lilac plant well in the summer . This serve to increase air travel circulation and keep lilac ascendent from sitting in moist conditions .
Lilac borers are a case of moth that can invade branches of the bush . If you notice eggs on freshly snip lilac branches , snip the branches in the fall .
you may also try a natural Melia Azadirachta insecticide spray to get rid of the bothersome bugs .
Where to Buy Lilac Plants
Lilac shrubs are wide useable in many garden centers or on-line stores . Most lilac plants for planting in your garden that are sold online are bare root types of planter . You just have to drudge a hollow in the undercoat to engraft your shrub .
Garden and landscape gardening centers often trade various types of lilac shrubs in expectant containers that you could easily transplant to your garden .
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