Every time the lilacs blossom, memories come flooding back. I couldn’t help but bend over the fence line in envy of the piles of fragrant florets just beyond my reach despite having a yard full of other flowers.
I begged my parents to trim the branches that were excessively leaning on our side of the property border, almost like they were airborne. But since they did not belong to us, I was taught to enjoy and adore them from a distance when I was only five years old. Wasn’t it fortunate that we were able to witness the lilacs in bloom in the spring, inviting us to relax at the picnic table positioned thoughtfully along that fence?
Despite the fact that we are actually describing a spring-blooming shrub with cone-shaped clusters of tubular florets, the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is an old-fashioned favorite flower. Similar to how the butterfly bush (Buddleia) draws these fluttering insects in the summer, this shrub is attractive to butterflies because to its enormous splash of color, the appearance and smell of the flower buds, and the tubular shape of the individual florets.
With Pennsylvania, where the climate is well within the hardiness range for lilacs of 2 to 7 (perhaps 8), lilacs grow rapidly in the hopes of blooming in early May and lasting through June for a good five to six weeks of bouquets.
Lilacs come in more than 500 varieties, which are primarily categorized by flower type (single or double), color (white, yellow, blue, “lilac,” pink, magenta, and purple), and blooming order (early lilacs start at the end of April, and the Japanese tree lilac blooms around mid-June). Additionally, there are dwarf varieties that only reach a height of 6 feet and upright cultivars that can reach a height of 20 feet. The cultivars chosen from plants originally developed in Lemoine, France, frequently win the title of “best of show.”
Are you experiencing any lilac laments? Are you upset because there aren’t any lilac blooms this year? Donald Wyman, a renowned plant expert, offers the following advice for good growing practices:
1. Lilacs prefer fertilized soil with limestone and a sunny, well-drained location.
2. Suckers can nutrient-deplete the primary branches. Remove the majority of suckers (new growth at the shrub’s base), leaving only strong, healthy branches.
3. To enhance the blossoming of the following year, deadhead, or remove dead flower clusters before seed heads form.
4. Be careful not to overfertilize; if you see large, quickly expanding vegetative shoots, this means that all the growth is going into leaves and there is little left over for the development of flowers or roots. You must be a keen observer in the garden. Learn how much fertilizer is too much and how little is enough. A soil test can be useful in this situation.
5. Lilac pruning is something I loathe doing. Even if I’m getting older, it’s not always simple to get to the root of the issue because you may have to crawl or be prepared to lie flat on the ground.
Pruning should be done just after the lilacs have finished flowering because they blossom on wood from the previous year and should be done before the flush of new growth. The oldest and woodiest stems must be pruned back to within 4 inches of the ground. Use the correct size loppers because these can be quite thick.
Since it’s just getting a haircut and not serious surgery, you should only remove around of the overall growth to avoid shocking the shrub. Of course, you are always welcome to cut away any dead or damaged branches.
6. Use the magnifying lens to check specific areas for lilac borers. From late winter to early spring, you could notice small, worm-like insects with cream-colored larvae digging into the woody stems. The larvae become moths in May. (which have clear brown wings and resemble wasps.) In the fractures or holes, the females will lay their eggs, further weakening the tree.
You’ll see the bore holes, the wilted leaves, and even “sawdust” left over from the borer activity. Bt spraying and pruning beneath the injured area will be beneficial. Alternately, from mid-May until early-August, you can spray an insecticide on the stems.
7. Some people find fungus bothersome, and when the hot weather of August arrives, it’s not unusual to notice powdery mildew on the heart-shaped lilac leaves. The foliage will have a bluish-gray sheen, you’ll notice. Some leaves will inevitably perish and fall from the shrub as a result of the fungi feeding on them. Other garden plants may become infected by the fungus.
Mildew is generally unattractive but not hazardous. Early treatment of the mildew is necessary if you have experienced serious mildew issues on lilac in recent years.
Spray with an antitranspirant every month from mid-July through August to prevent mildew for the entire year, or use a fungicide. Also keep in mind that adequate plant and shrub spacing will allow for good air circulation, which will inhibit the growth of mildew.
What could be better than an enormous bouquet of lilacs adorning your favorite space in a strong, attractive vase? Enjoy the little things in life, bring some inside, or give them to someone you care about.
During what season do lilacs bloom?
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.
How often does a lilac flower bloom each year?
The late lilac is the leading contender for a long-lasting lilac that will bloom profusely throughout the warmer months of the year (Syringa villosa). As its name suggests, it blooms later than other types and produces fragrant white, pink, rosy lilac, violet, and even crimson blossoms. This lilac bush only has one summer bloom and enjoys direct sunlight.
Consider a reblooming lilac for your garden if you want consistent flowers. Lilacs that rebloom will first bloom in the spring, then rest until summertime when they will blossom once more. After their spring rest, certain types, such as the Bloomerang dark purple, will continue to bloom until the fall. Look for the Josee reblooming lilac (Syringa Josee), which intermittently flowers throughout the summer and into the fall, if you live in a warmer climate.
Are lilacs a summer or spring flower?
Lilacs are beloved for a variety of factors, such as their lovely blossoms that draw butterflies, fragrant scent, and simplicity of upkeep in the garden. Why settle for just one chance to enjoy lilac blooms when you can grow a kind that blooms again later in the season? Most lilacs only flower once a year, which is typically in the spring. A hybrid lilac cultivar called Bloomerang (Syringa ‘Penda’), which was released in 2009, begins to bloom in the spring, takes a brief pause, and then resumes in the summer and into the fall. It has gorgeous pale purple flowers that get a little bit darker during the second bloom in the summer and fall. Additionally, Bloomerang maintains a more compact size at a height and width of around four to five feet, unlike older lilacs that can develop into enormous, gangling bushes that reach a height of 10 feet or more.
Do lilacs flower throughout the winter?
One of the most well-liked scented multiblooming shrubs is the common purple lilac (Syringa vulgaris). In USDA growth zones 3 through 7, this plant flourishes. Lilacs are sturdy plants, so maintaining them is not very difficult. Although they can survive temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius), they may require some protection from harsh gusts that can harm the flower buds.
Lilacs require chilly winters to help set the blossoms for the next season. There isn’t much upkeep required while the shrub is dormant throughout the colder months. Dehydration brought on by frozen soils and arid winter winds is the biggest issue for lilacs during the winter. The roots are less likely to be harmed by freezing water when the soil is well-draining.
Lilacs bloom twice a year, right?
Compared to other lilac trees, bloomerang lilac trees are more compact, reaching a short height of 4-6 feet tall and a spread of 4-6 feet, giving them a pleasing, rounded appearance. Their long, arched branches bear their veined leaves, which are bright green for the majority of the year until turning yellow in the fall.
The characteristic 4-petaled, 4-6 inch deep lilac-purple blooms on bloomerang lilac trees appear starting in May, cease blooming in June, and then return in July through the first frost of the year.
Specifications
With tall, arched branches, a compact and rounded shape, and rich green foliage that turn golden in the fall. Four spread petals, 4-6 inch, lilac-purple flowers that bloom in the spring and later in the summer.
Why hasn’t my lilac bush bloomed?
A. There are a number of potential causes for your lilac’s failure to blossom. Lack of sufficient sunlight is the main culprit. Lilacs (Syringa) should be planted in an area with at least six hours of direct, bright sunlight per day. They can withstand a wide range of moisture levels as long as they are grown in soil with good drainage.
If your lilac is clipped at the wrong time of year, it might not blossom for another reason. Lilacs bloom in the spring on the growth from the previous year, and soon after, they begin to form the buds for the following year. Within a few weeks of the plant blooming, pruning must be done simultaneously with the removal of the wasted flowers in order to prevent the removal of the buds for the following year. A late freeze can harm flower buds on types that bloom early.
Lilacs have a tendency to mature into overgrown, leggy shrubs with minimal foliage at the bottom. When this occurs, it might be required to prune them to within 12 inches of the ground in order to completely rejuvenate them. When the shrubs are dormant in late winter, this should be done. Lilacs benefit from this repair, although their blooming cycle will be hampered for at least one season. Lilacs can receive a rejuvenation pruning over a two-year period to stop the interruption of bloom cycles. Half of the shrub’s stems should be hard pruned the first year, and the remaining stems the following year.
Lilacs do not consume a lot of food. Excessive fertilization, particularly nitrogen fertilizer, can frequently promote luxuriant vegetative growth at the expense of flower development. A lilac’s failure to bloom could potentially be due to its proximity to turf that receives frequent fertilization.