The 12 to 15-foot-tall common lilac is a perennial shrub with deciduous leaves. Lilac blossoms come in a variety of colors, including white, light purple, and dark purple, and they smell wonderful. Landscapes frequently feature popular lilac plants, which are widely available at commercial nurseries. Originally from Europe, the common lilac is now spread across much of the northeastern US and Canada, as well as into some western states.
Common lilac leaves have smooth edges and a heart-shaped shape. They also have flowers and fruits. Flower buds and leaf buds are distinct. Compared to flower buds, which are bigger, rounder, and lighter green in color, leaf buds are smaller and more pointed. At the tips of the branches, individual blooms with four petals and a tubular base are grouped together. The lilac’s fruit is a tiny (1-2 cm) capsule with two seeds, much like the forsythia’s.
Where do you typically see lilacs?
Lilacs are the ideal cold-weather shrubs, necessitating over 2,000 chill hours below 45°F for them to bloom.
I never would have thought to compare it to an olive tree because of its love of cold weather.
However, perennial, deciduous lilacs belong to the Oleaceae branch of the olive family. Although most lilacs grow in Zones 3–7, some can survive in Zone 2. Other cultivars that were developed expressly for warmer climates thrive in Zones 8 and 9—and in some areas of Zone 10 as well.
The genus Syringa consists of twelve species, and if you’re just getting started, our guide to growing lilacs will teach you everything you need to know about how to grow each one in your yard.
The genus was given its name by Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The Greek word “syrinx,” which meaning pipe or tube, is where the word “syringa” originates. It alludes to Syrinx, a mythical nymph who transformed into hollow reeds to flee the lusty advances of the god Pan.
Syrinx provided us with terminology for hollow objects like syringes and the sturdy yet hollow branches of lilac plants.
Lilacs are distinguished by their panicles of purple, pink, or white flowers as well as their heart-shaped, deep green foliage on some cultivars. The common lilac, S. vulgaris, is the species that is grown most frequently in the United States.
Numerous of the lilacs listed below are S. vulgaris varieties and are referred to as “French hybrids” or “French lilacs.” They are not interbred with other species because they are intraspecific crosses.
Thanks to Victor Lemoine and his wife Marie’s work in the 1870s, many of these originated in France. Between 1876 and 1953, the family introduced more than 200 cultivars thanks to their son and grandson, who carried on the family’s lilac breeding tradition.
Despite the fact that many were and still are grown in the United States and other European nations, the term “French hybrid” has persisted.
Some varieties are double-flowered for an extra-full, lush look with as many as 12 petals on a single flower, whereas French hybrids may be single flowered with four petals on each bloom.
The majority of French hybrids mature at a height of four to twenty feet. While some grow compactly and uprightly, others have a propensity to spread.
Reblooming refers to the ability of some plants to flower in the spring and then display new color in the late summer.
Additionally, Victor Lemoine crossed S. vulgaris with the Chinese lilac, S. oblata, to create what are known as S. x hyacinthiflora lilacs. These early-blooming variants have delicate hyacinth-like flowers.
Between 1912 and 1946, Isabella Preston, a well-known Canadian plant breeder, created 82 different hybrid lilac varieties. These are also known as S. x prestoniae, or Preston lilacs.
Other typical species are:
- S. reticulata, often known as the Japanese tree lilac, is a fragrant tree that can reach heights of up to 30 feet and a spread of 20 feet.
- S. meyeri, also known as S. pubescens, is a type of Korean lilac that only reaches a height of seven feet and a spread of five feet.
- The fragrant Persian S. persica is a four to eight foot tall plant with a spread of five to ten feet and is indigenous to Iran.
- S. emodi, often known as Himalayan lilac, has an upright growth habit, can grow up to 16 feet tall with a 13-foot spread, and has an unpleasant odor.
They are all exquisite in their own right, and the majority of them emit some of the most seductive aromas.
When does the lilac season begin?
A lilac in full bloom is a magnificent sight, and it smells great. Lilacs are one of the best flowering shrubs and a staple of the spring landscape in northern and colder climes. These hardy shrubs have been developed to satisfy the requirements of all gardens since they are simple to cultivate, strong as nails, resistant to deer, and largely free of main pests.
- Lilacs can bring color and scent from April through June, depending on where you live and the types you pick. It is possible to have two months of spring blossoms by making wise plant choices, especially if the weather is chilly. However, a warm spring will cause flowers to blossom earlier than usual, cutting the blooming season by a few weeks.
- Choose Syringa x hyacinthiflora (Hyacinth Syringa) for the earliest blooms; they begin blooming in mid-spring, about 7–10 days earlier than Syringa vulgaris (Common Lilac).
- The longest flowering species is the common lilac, which can last up to a month depending on area and cultivar. It often blooms in late spring and has the biggest, most fragrant flowers.
- With varieties like Littleleaf Lilac (Syringa microphylla) and Japanese Tree Lilac, you may extend the lilac season into the summer (Syringa reticulata).
- Choose a reblooming lilac if your space is constrained and you can’t enjoy several lilac kinds. These lilac bushes do not only bloom for a brief period in the spring. They extend their stay by repeatedly blooming throughout the summer and the fall, adding beautiful color and fragrance to the garden.
- Lilac trees grow best in the fall, just after the leaves have fallen and before the ground freezes. Lilacs can be planted in the spring before the buds open. But because fresh roots have a head start in April before the shrub starts to leaf out, lilacs planted in the fall typically have a higher chance of surviving.
What places do lilacs bloom?
Here are seven interesting facts about these beloved garden plants to honor the lilac bushes that are currently putting on a magnificent, fragrant display.
Kate Chopin described how Sister Agathe would frequently turn to the window during the day when the aroma of lilac blossoms started to fill the air, wearing the joyful, beatific expression that simple, pure souls wear as they wait for the arrival of people they love.
We could not have put it more succinctly. Here are seven things to know about cultivating and caring for these beloved garden plants, in honor of the lilac bushes that are putting on their magnificent, fragrant display at this time of year.
| Climate for Lilacs
While some lilac types may survive warmer environments, most prefer chilly weather (zones 37). They require a period of hibernation before they can bloom, which cold winters cause. Lilac plants typically bloom in the spring and only for two weeks, though the exact timing depends on the kind and location.
| Sun, Soil and Fertilizer
P. Allen Smith, a landscape and garden designer from Arkansas, lists lilac bushes among his top 15 favorite scented plants for the yard. He said to Flower, “Plants should be treated with a general fertilizer in early spring and then again after the bloom cycle. Lilacs bloom best when planted in full sun and well-drained, alkaline soil. For your early spring feeding, switch the general fertilizer out for super phosphate or another fertilizer heavy in phosphorus to promote blooms.
Mara Tyler of the Farm at Oxford in Pennsylvania, a grower of flowers, also provided her lilac-growing advice, beginning with full sun. Don’t overfeed the lilac, she advised, but we do give it a dose of compost and an organic local fertilizer in the ratio of 3-5-4 every year. We want to encourage blossoms rather than foliage growth because we want our lilacs to produce blooms. Additionally, it may take 34 years after planting tiny lilac pups before we can actually harvest from a bush. The first few years they grow more slowly, but around year 45 it seems like their growth really takes off.
The best time of year to plant lilac bushes, according to Tyler, is: “Whenever we have the time, we plant in the spring or the fall. Care, however, is influenced by the time you plant.” As with any plant, if you plant in the spring, be careful to water it regularly throughout the summer’s heat. The plants typically settle in well in the fall thanks to drainage from winter showers or snowfall.
| Pruning Lilacs
After they finish blooming, lilac bushes should be pruned and shaped since they produce buds on old wood. You run the danger of removing the blossoms for the following year, Tyler warned.
| Varieties of Lilac Bushes
While there are countless lilac types to choose from, here are a few to take into account if you have certain needs.
- Plant “Miss Kim” or “Blue Skies” in zones 8 or other warmer areas.
- Consider “Excel,” which puts on its major display between February and March, or possibly “Charles Joly” when thinking of early bloomers.
- recurring blooms: Select “Josee.”
| European Descent
North America does not have any native lilac bushes. Eastern European mountains in Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania are where the Common Lilac first appeared. The species was raised by the Turks for many years. Lilac plants eventually made their way to Vienna and Paris in the 1500s. Since they created so many different types, the common lilac is frequently referred to as a French hybrid or just a French lilac. Lilac bushes now adorn the gardens of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson after these European species finally made the voyage to the New World.
If you cut flowers from your lilac bushes for an arrangement, you may keep the flowers fresher longer by misting the petals, which can absorb water, and changing the water in the vases every day.
| A Whole Island of Lilacs
On Mackinac Island in Michigan, there are two additional species in addition to more than 100 types of common lilacs ” (pronounced “Mackinaw). The best growing conditions are cold winters and sunny, warm summers with enough precipitation. And the island’s well-drained soil, which has a limestone rock basis, is perfect for lilacs.
The oldest lilac bushes on Mackinac date back to the 1870s and can reach heights of 20 feet and a diameter of 27 inches “Lavander trees Since 1949, the town has celebrated the beginning of the June flowering season with a 10-day Lilac Festival. Even the Lilac Festival Queen and the Grand Parade are present. Plan to travel around this small town by foot, a bicycle, or a horse. In 1898, vehicles were outlawed.
Bonus | A Book of Lilacs
What better way to mark the passing of the seasons than with the flower that seems to herald the arrival of summer? For many years, lilacs have been a favorite flower and a source of creativity for painters like Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh. In the eighth volume of the Gibbs Smith flower series, Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden (Gibbs Smith, April 2022), Naomi Slade provides straightforward gardening advice to show that anyone can cultivate these vivid blooms. Beautiful images by Georgianna Lane also provide a ton of visual inspiration.
Lavander is it a lilac?
The primary distinction between lilac and lavender is that the former is a pale purple with a bluish undertone, while the latter is a pale purple with a pinkish undertone.
Two hues of purple and violet are lavender and lilac. Due to how similar they are to one another, many people frequently mix up these two hues. The same namesake flowers are also referred to by these two titles. In actuality, the colors of the blossoms are what inspired the names of both of these hues. The differences between lavender and lilac will be covered in this article under the headings of bloom and color.
How lethal is lilac?
Lilac plants have been a favorite for many years and are still a common sight in many gardens and yards. Lilacs do not contain any poisonous substances or toxins that could harm people or animals, nor do they irritate the skin. From the tops of their branches to the ends of their roots, lilacs are poison-free. As a matter of truth, lilac blooms can be eaten.
If you’ve heard that lilacs are poisonous, you could be thinking about the Persian lilac, often known as the Chinaberry tree, instead of the lilac shrub (Melia azedarach). In colder climates that are ideal for the common lilac, this shrub cannot be grown.
The common lilac plant (Syringa vulgaris), like our Scent And Sensibility Pink Lilac, is not harmful, however animals may experience stomach and digestion issues if they consume plants and their contents.
Is keeping lilacs in the house unlucky?
Old-fashioned country customs are still alive and well, such hanging horseshoes and applauding magpies.
Two thirds of us can’t get through the day without making some kind of superstitious gesture, according to recent research. Why do we do it, though? Rural residences
Greeting a magpie recognizing and honoring the long-standing country superstition of magpies. One for sadness, two for pleasure is a saying that refers to the fact that they often pair for life. Because of this, seeing a single one is seen to be unlucky. People would give a respectful salute or remark aloud, “Good morning Mr. Magpie, I hope your family are well,” to fend off bad luck.
Never take lilac inside According to an ancient English legend, faeries favored lilac trees. Faeries were once greatly feared; wild and capricious, they were believed to kidnap individuals. You were taking a chance by putting lavender on show by inviting them inside. The Victorian era, when fragrant lilac flower was frequently utilized to mask the stench of disease and death, is another source of negative connotations. But it’s not all bad news; according to a different belief, gardeners invented the bad connections to deter people from stealing the lovely flowers!
According to Richard Webster in The Encyclopedia of Superstitions, because of their lengthy lifespan, oak trees were thought to bring longevity and protect against disease.
affix a horseshoe to the door. Since ancient times, horseshoes have been used as traditional home decor to presumably protect and provide good fortune to the family living there. The idea comes from a fable about a blacksmith by the name of Dunstan. He was approached by the Devil, who asked that he be fitted with fresh horseshoes. Dunstan, who was aware of his identity, painfully attached a horseshoe to his foot and only let him go when he vowed never to enter a house with a horseshoe placed over the entrance.
as in this? Visit the Country Homes & Interiors site for more rural design ideas.