The common lilac’s strong perfume is unmistakably unique, possibly more evocative than any other floral aroma. It has nothing common about it. You only need to take one sniff to end up on soggy grass at a spring fair. One more and you’re relaxing on a cool, comfortable veranda, the scenery glistening with emerging green. It has a fresh, upbeat, and cozy scent.
The traditional but timeless shrubs (and trees) enjoy the cold winters and fertile soil of the Midwest. In addition to needing a sustained period of cold to promote their spring blossoms, they aren’t greedy or picky, and they survive for essentially ever. So, once you’ve planted them, just relax and let the purple take over.
,000 Cultivars
Lilacs come in a variety of colors as they bloom, including purple, lavender, white, violet, magenta, pink, and blue.
Three Size Groups The height of small lilacs, with names like Korean and Dwarf Manchurian, is between 4 and 6 feet. Persian, Chinese, and European lilacs are medium plants that can grow to 12 to 14 feet. Tall plants can reach heights of 30 feet or higher, like the Japanese Tree Lilac.
35 Days Most types require a cold dormancy period of at least 850 hours (about 35 days) at temperatures below 45 degrees in order to blossom. They adore the Midwest, so to speak.
6 Hours Lilacs require at least that much sunlight each day in order to blossom. The ideal sun is full sun.
Planting advice
Plan Lilacs should be planted in a bright, open area with good drainage throughout the spring or fall. Mildew and blight are prevented by having adequate ventilation around the plants.
Dig Each lilac plant requires a hole that is a foot wider and as deep as its container. plant spacing of 1015 feet (or 6 feet when planting a hedge).
Feed Add some slow-release, low-nitrogen fertilizer or rose food to the soil. After placing the plant in the hole, partially filling it with enriched dirt, water it. Repeat.
Protect Around the plant, apply a mulch layer that is a few inches thick. Depending on the soil type and rainfall, water the first year. They ought to be safe on their own after that.
Try dressing up. Lilacs might appear quite unremarkable after the spring exhibition. To climb the shrub and add color, plant a summer-flowering vine nearby, like clematis.
Give it room. Avoid mowing all the way up to the base of the plant; doing so compacts the soil, which lilacs detest. Instead, spread some mulch and give the flower room to grow.
Dynamite Displays
Start To harvest lilacs at their freshest and most moisture-filled, go outside early in the morning.
Obtain Cut part-budded, part-bloomed stems at the desired length, just above the stem-to-leaf junction.
Trim the stems again indoors, clip them at an angle, and remove any leaves that might come in contact with (and therefore pollute) the water.
Refresh Every two to three days, change the water in the container while re-chopping the stems. Lilacs ought to endure for a week.
Chasing blooms
A single Mackinac Island in Michigan This cottage-dotted, car-free refuge is covered with lilac groves and canopies. Every June, the island hosts a 10-day celebration to honor its blossoms. Marquette Park and Ste. Anne’s Churchyard are excellent places to smell things.
Des Moines, IA In the Ewing Park Lilac Arboretum, more than 300 different lilac cultivars bloom. You can play the best-smelling round of disc golf ever in the park.
Three Lombard, Illinois Col. Plum, an appropriately named local gentleman, left his lilac-filled estate to the community in the 1920s. Bloom-tastic Lilac Time is held in Lilacia Park, as it is currently named, each May.
Simple Care
Prune Plan to prune in the spring right after the blossoms start to fade. If you wait until much later, you run the danger of damaging future blossoms and eliminating emerging buds.
Maintain An ideal mixture for the base of the majority of shrubs is nine to fifteen stems of various ages. When suckers appear, cultivate three strong shoots and remove the others.
Revive Trim one-third of the oldest and thickest stems from an overgrown shrub every year for three years to rejuvenate it. This will encourage more growth and larger blooms.
Remedy Powdery mildew can be identified by dingy white leaves. Mix one tablespoon baking soda and two and a half tablespoons of olive oil with one gallon of water and spritz once every few weeks to cure.
Lilac bushes should be planted when?
I had a variety of roles as a founding worker at Gardener’s Supply over the years. I currently run my own business, which is called Johnnie Brook Creative. A huge vegetable garden, a seasonal greenhouse, a cutting garden, perennial gardens, a rock garden, a shade garden, berry plantings, numerous container plants, and a meadow garden are among the gardens surrounding my Richmond, Vermont, home. The garden is the only place I would rather be. Check out this Garden Gate magazine video interview from January 2021 if you’re interested in learning more.
Among all shrubs, lilacs are among the easiest to maintain. Their requirements are straightforward: lots of sunlight, excellent drainage, nutritious soil, and yearly pruning. The only maintenance you’ll need to perform is yearly trimming to preserve a great shape, so pick your planting location wisely. You’ll be rewarded with bouquets of scented blooms in the spring.
Lilacs can be planted either in the fall before the ground freezes or in the spring after the earth has thawed. Lilacs are frequently supplied bare-root and dormant in the spring. The plants are merely “sleeping,” not dead. When the roots arrive, take off any packing and soak them in lukewarm water for 10 to 15 minutes. Read How to Plant a Bare-Root Tree or Shrub for planting guidelines. Lilacs are also available in containers. Read How to Plant a Tree or Shrub for details on planting procedures.
Lilacs can they grow in Iowa?
Lilac plants come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and bloom colors for gardeners. Over 1000 distinct types of the common lilac now exist thanks to intensive hybridization. Lilacs can be divided into seven different color categories, including white, pink, violet, blue, magenta (reddish-purple), lilac, and purple. There are also single and double varieties of flowers. Here are a few of the lilac species that can be found in Iowa. From earliest to latest, they are basically arranged according to bloom period.
Early Flowering Lilac
Try Syringahyacinthflora, often known as the early flowering lilac, for early blossoms. These S. oblata and S. vulgaris hybrids grow in mid- to late-April and do well in colder climes. The 8 to 10 foot tall and wide plants can turn their leaves a reddish purple color in the fall.
Common Lilac
The Syringa vulgaris, also known as the Common Lilac or French Hybrid Lilac, is prized for both the size and scent of its blooms. Numerous cultivars are available, some of which date back to the late 1800s. Victor Lemoine, a French hybridizer who developed over 200 different lilac varieties in the 1870s, is responsible for giving these the name “French Hybrids.” The height and spread of the common lilac are 10 to 15 feet and 6 to 12 feet, respectively. Early to mid-May sees the appearance of the panicles with the fragrant flowers, which are produced in pairs from terminal buds. There are numerous types with flowers that are white, violet, blue, lilac, pink, and magenta. Single and double flowering varieties are offered.
Meyer Lilac
The Meyer Lilac, Syringa meyeri, is a thick, broad-mounded shrub that can reach heights of 4 to 8 feet and widths of 6 to 12 feet. These lilacs produce flower clusters that are smaller than those of ordinary lilacs (4 inches long and 2 1/2 inches broad), but they make up for it with sheer quantity of blossoms. Lilac to violet flower flowers have a pungent scent. Because of their compact stature (6 feet at maturity) and lack of disease, these plants make excellent foundation plants. They appear in early to mid-May, before plants have fully leafed out. In contrast to many other species, this species is not impacted by powdery mildew.
Manchurian Lilac
The upright Manchurian lilac, Syringa patula, grows to a height of 9 feet. From the terminal buds of the previous year’s growth, the flower panicles frequently appear in pairs. They bloom in late May to early June and are 4 to 6 inches long with lavender purple flowers. The widely accessible variation, called “Miss Kim,” reaches heights of 5 to 6 feet (rarely higher) and widths of 4 to 5 feet.
Chinese Lilac
Syringachinensis, a hybrid of Syringa vulgaris and Syringa persica, is the Chinese lilac. This shrub has an arched top and branches. It grows 8 to 15 feet tall with a similar spread and produces more flowers than the common lilac. In mid-May, purple lilac flowers start to bloom.
Cutleaf Lilac
The Syringalaciniata, or cutleaf lilac, has a low, mounded shape. Six to eight feet tall and wide, plants grow. All along the stems, the light lilac-colored flowers bloom. They happen every May. The foliage has a delicate texture and is lacy.
Persian Lilac
The Persian lilac, or Syringapersica, is a beautiful shrub with tall, arched branches. The height and spread of a plant ranges from 4 to 8 feet. The leaves are a blue-green color. Flowers are aromatic and have a light violet color. They start to show up towards the middle of May. A nice plant, however powdery mildew frequently has a negative impact on it.
Littleleaf Lilac
The littleleaf lilac is another name for Syringa microphylla. The foliage is medium green above and grayish green and pubescent beneath, and it is roughly one-fourth the size of a typical lilac. It has a 6 foot height and a 9 to 12 foot spread. The hue of the flowers is rosy lilac. The panicles bloom in late May to early June and are only 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long. The “Superba” variety bears solitary, deep pink blooms.
Preston Lilac
Try one of the Syringaprestoniae Preston Lilacs for later blooms. These well-known Preston lilacs are the result of a cross between S. villosa and S. komarowii subsp. reflexa. Elongated leaves on Preston lilacs make them more resistant to powdery mildew. Compared to many French hybrids, their blossoms have a spicy smell that is gentler. USDA Hardiness Zone 3 is a reliable cold hardiness zone for plants.
Late Lilac
The late lilac, Syringa villosa, is a dense plant for the shrub border that is 6 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 10 feet broad. The rose lilac to white blooms begin to bloom in mid- to late-May, and they occasionally last into June. 3 to 7 inches long flower panicles are seen.
Nodding Lilac
The nodding lilac, Syringa komarowii subsp. reflexa, reaches heights and widths of 10 to 12 feet. On panicles that are 4 to 10 inches long, the purplish pink blooms are produced. This plant is hardy in growth zones 5 to 7 and has no fragrance.
Japanese Tree Lilac
The Japanese tree lilac, Syringa reticulata, has an oval to rounded shape and grows to a height of 20 to 30 feet with a spread of 15 to 25 feet. Early to mid-June sees the appearance of the panicles of huge, fragrant white flowers. The blossoms have a privet-like scent. Given that trees can survive in zone 3, it is among the hardiest on the list. The smooth, rich cinnamon-colored bark of trees is another distinctive feature.
Excellent cultivar “Ivory Silk” has a more compact growth habit and flowers well when young. ‘Chantilly Lace’, ‘Regent’, and ‘Summer Snow’ are further variants. The Pekin lilac, a similar species that grows only 15 to 20 feet tall, is a smaller tree. Compared to the Japanese tree lilac, it has finer texture and is frequently multi-stemmed. In late May to June, the 3 to 6 inch long panicles with creamy white flowers bloom.
Where should lilacs be planted for greatest results?
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.