Did you know that the National Gardening Bureau has designated 2022 as the “Year of the Lilac”? They have a sweet, eerie aroma and are among the easiest shrubs for your landscaping to maintain that bloom in the spring. Find out how to plant, nurture, and prune your lilacs.
About Lilacs
Syringa vulgaris, or common lilac, is prized for its tenacity, dependability, and scent. Lilacs are so hardy that they can live for more than 100 years and frequently outlive the houses they were planted near.
This tiny, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub (or tree) has approximately ten canes and blooms at eye level. The height of a common lilac can range from 8 to 12 feet, depending on the cultivar. The aromatic flowers attract butterflies and make good cuttings.
There are lilac types that come in white, cream, and even pink and yellow, though the blooms are typically lilac/purple in hue (ranging from very pale to extremely dark). Flowers can be solitary or double in number.
Lilacs bloom in northern states from mid- to late spring for around two weeks. However, there are lilac varieties for early, mid, and late seasons that, when cultivated together, guarantee a consistent bloom for at least six weeks.
Lilacs do best in soil that is fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, and neutral to alkaline (at a pH near 7.0). Add compost to your soil to improve it if it is in bad condition. (Learn more about adding amendments to the soil and getting it ready for planting.) Lilacs don’t enjoy having their feet wet and won’t blossom if they are kept too moist, so make sure the planting area drains well.
Lilacs should be planted in full sun, which is defined as having at least six hours of sunlight each day, for the finest blooms.
How to Plant Lilacs
- If you’re fortunate, a friend may offer you a sucker, or offshoot, of the plant’s root system. The sucker will first appear pitiful, but all you need to do is dig a hole, fill it with soil, and then insert the sucker. water next, and then wait. You’ll be rewarded with enormous, fragrant blossoms in 4 or 5 years.
- Lilacs purchased from nurseries can also be planted easily. If the plant was cultivated in a container, spread its roots out as you plant it; if it was balled or burlapped, gently remove the covering and any rope before doing so. Set the plant 2 to 3 inches deeper than it was while it was growing in the nursery and cover the roots with topsoil. in water Then add more topsoil to the hole to finish it.
- Depending on the kind, place multiple lilac bushes 5 to 15 feet apart.
- Apply a layer of compost under the plant each spring, followed by a layer of mulch to keep moisture in and weeds under control.
- If the weekly rainfall is less than 1 inch, water during the summer.
- If lilacs receive too much fertilizer, they won’t bloom. In the late winter, they can manage a few 10-10-10, but no more.
- Spread some lime and thoroughly composted manure around the base of your lilac bush once it has finished blooming. Remove suckers while you form the shrub by trimming it.
Pruning Lilacs
- Since lilacs blossom on old wood, it’s important to prune in the spring immediately following their bloom. You risk removing the wood if you prune later in the summer. A word of advice: It’s time to prune if your lilac flower clusters are getting smaller!
- After bloom each year, cut away any dead wood. Remove the oldest canes by pruning (down to the ground). Take out the tiny suckers. Reduce weak branches until a robust shoot remains. Reduce tall canes to eye level.
- Remove one-third of the oldest canes (down to the ground) in year one, half of the remaining old wood in year two, and the remainder in year three if your lilac is very old and in poor condition. Cutting the entire plant back to a height of approximately 6 or 8 inches is another option for elderly lilacs. Although it sounds dramatic, lilacs are remarkably resilient. This option’s drawback is that it takes some time for the hair to grow back. The lilac will grow back bursting with blooms, so there will be less work and more reward.
- It is important to understand that extreme trimming causes bloom loss for one to three years. For these reasons, a smart pruning program gives the bushes yearly attention in an effort to avoid making dramatic and severe cuts.
The Syringa vulgaris kind of lilacs is the most widely grown and fragrant:
- Try the double magneta variety “Charles Joly” for an early bloom.
- Lilacs in the middle of the season include “Monge,” a deep reddish purple, and “Firmament,” a delicate blue.
- Miss Canada, a reddish pink, and Donald Wyman, a solitary purple, are two late-season beauties.
Syringa x hyacinthiflora, an early-flowering lilac cultivar, opens 7 to 19 days before those of the common lilac. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to its fragrant blossoms.
The cutleaf lilac, a fragrant pale lavender, is one of the common lilacs that may flourish as far south as Zone 9. Common lilacs appreciate cold weather. The beautiful shrub Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’ has light lilac-blue flowers that eventually become white.
There are tiny kinds for gardeners who simply don’t have the space for the conventional larger lilacs, particularly those in urban settings. Even in a container on your balcony or patio, they will grow.
- ‘Baby Kim’ has a lovely rounded shape, only grows 2 to 3 feet high (and 3 feet wide), and has purple flowers that draw butterflies. Hardiness from Zones 3 to 8 extended.
- Compact lilac ‘Little Lady’ (Syringa x) has dark pink buds that open to lilac-pink flowers and grows to be 4 to 5 feet tall and wide at maturity. Zones 2 to 7 are tough.
- Syringa vulgaris cultivars “New Age Lavender” and “New Age White” were developed for mildew resistance and are quite compact, growing from 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. Hummingbirds and butterflies are drawn to their fragrant blossoms. Zone 4 hardy.
Which month is ideal for lilac planting?
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. However, springtime is a relatively brief season, therefore transplanting at this time is only advised in regions with really harsh winters.
Do lilac roots grow deeply or briefly?
Lilac shrub roots are quite rare to penetrate the side of a foundation. Lilac roots typically become damaged when they get too close to the soil-level foundation’s base. Lilac roots can only penetrate shallow foundations because of their shallow root systems. It is unlikely that you will sustain harm if your foundation is deep.
Lilacs can also cause foundation damage if the soil is thick and expands when wet and contracts significantly when dry. When there is a drought, the feeder roots draw a lot of moisture from the soil at the tips, which causes it to drastically shrink and can lead to cracks in the foundation. After a heavy rain, the soil fills once more, but the foundation still has fissures. Regardless of the distance between the foundation and the shrub, damage to foundations is unlikely in instances when the soil is light and the foundation is deep.
There is a slight possibility that lilac roots will obstruct water and sewer lines. Lilac roots choose the easiest route to sources of nutrients and water. They are more likely to enter leaking water and sewage lines than sound pipes, though. However, there is little chance of damage if your lilac shrub is located 8 to 10 feet (2-3 m) from water and sewer lines, even if the pipes are cracked.
How should a new lilac bush be planted?
The ideal season for planting lilac plants is spring or fall. Make the hole deep and wide enough to fit the lilac’s roots, and then plant it with their spread vertically in the ground. Even if you intend to use them as privacy hedges, you should leave at least 5 feet (1.5 m) between each lilac bush you plant to avoid overpopulation.
A location with lots of afternoon sun and well-drained soil is ideal. Lilac bushes need adequate drainage, so wherever possible, planting lilac shrubs in somewhat higher locations is advised. Lilac bushes should be planted, then given plenty of water and a coating of loose mulch. Keep the mulch light enough not to hold too much moisture, yet thick enough to keep out weeds and preserve some moisture.
Where shouldn’t lilac bushes be planted?
Avoid planting lilacs in areas that will receive more than a half-worth day’s of shade because they thrive in full sun. Make sure to give them room to expand when you plant them. To find out the mature plant’s height and spread, read the label on the plant.
Lilacs require sufficient drainage to thrive. The soil should have just enough moisture to support the root system while still allowing for free drainage after heavy rains.
Dig a hole that is about 8 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep to test the drainage before planting. Add water to the hole. Choose a different location if the water hasn’t drained after an hour.
What is the rate of growth of a lilac bush?
The lilac is a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with an erratic, rounded shape. When young, it grows quickly, but as it ages, its growth slows to roughly one foot every year. The stems’ sturdy wood has a dark gray to gray-brown color. The leaves are light green underneath and dark green to blue-green above. The clusters of four petal blooms, which come in lilac, light purple, or lavender hues, bloom in April or May. They have a strong fragrance. Although the lilac thrives best in sunny locations, it cannot stand hot, muggy weather. It requires moist, well-drained soil that is neutral or just a little bit alkaline in pH. Peat or leaf mold can be added to the soil as a supplement. As soon as they start to fade, old flowers should be removed. Lilacs should be pruned as soon as they finish blooming. Pruning the shrub is preferred since it will highlight the medium-aged wood, which will still contribute to the plant’s good size and produce nice blooms. Remove a third of the earliest stems at ground level each year to accomplish this. Any remedial trimming, like removing competing branches or sucker growth, can be done concurrently. Pruning older lilacs as small, multiple-branched trees will highlight a few massive, old trunks while removing sucker growth and making them a focal point of the landscape. The shrub can also be pruned into a tree with a single stem. Lilacs that are overgrown can be pruned to a few inches above the surface. They will bloom once more in three to four years, Depending on the mature height, space your plants 3–4 feet apart if you want a hedge.
How much water do lilacs require?
A traditional flower garden, outdoor space, or decorative pot should all contain lilac plants as they are a staple flowering shrub. Zones 3 through 8 are suitable for growing these fragrant shrubs, and they require very little maintenance. Lilacs need at least 6 hours per day of direct sunlight to produce their best flowers. Lilacs benefit from regular watering after initial planting, throughout active growth seasons (spring), and during prolonged dry spells. Lilacs are fairly drought tolerant once they are established.
It is advised to water your lilac plant once every 10 to 14 days from spring till blooming is finished. The ideal irrigation for lilacs is deep, infrequent watering. Make sure the planting space or container has good drainage. These plants don’t appreciate having their feet wet and won’t bloom if they are overwatered. By saturating air pockets with water and reducing soil oxygen levels, excessive water can strangle the lilac tree’s roots. The first indication that the lilac is overwatered is the plant wiggling.
Are lilacs suited for coffee grounds?
Lilac plants don’t require a lot of food or fertilizer. A 10-10-10 fertilizer mixture applied yearly in the early spring is what we advise. (The amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, or NPK as they are popularly known, are represented by the digits 10-10-10 in the formula.) Early spring fertilization of lilacs with a high phosphorus solution encourages blossoming.
Coffee grounds and grass clippings are also excellent sources of nitrogen. Use in moderation since an excess of nitrogen in the soil can lead to subpar blooms. The ideal soil conditions for lilacs are slightly alkaline (6.5–7.0 pH), wet, and well-drained. The soil may become more alkaline by adding bone meal to it. Use Miracle-Gro Shake ‘n Feed Flowering Trees & Shrubs Plant Food in the spring if you decide to feed your plant. Last but not least, lilac plants dislike acidic soil. Epsom salts can be used to encourage blossoming while the plant is dormant.