Lilac

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 15:51

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Latin name: Syringa Family: Olive Categories: Ornamental trees and shrubs

Lilac (Latin Syringa) - a genus of ornamental shrubs and trees of the Olive family. The genus includes 10 species. In natural conditions, they grow in the mountainous regions of Asia and Southeast Europe.

Characteristics of culture

Lilac is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or tree. Leaves are simple, opposite, entire, less often pinnately dissected, ovoid, oval or lanceolate, with pointed tips. The flowers are small, funnel-shaped, collected in paniculate inflorescences, can be lilac, lilac, pink, blue, purple and even yellow, have a pleasant aroma. The fruit is a bivalve capsule.

Views

* Common lilac (Latin Syringa vulgaris) - the species is represented by a large shrub up to 6 m high. The leaves are heart-shaped, dense, rich green in color. The flowers are purple in color with a sweet aroma. Flowering begins in May. The species is frost-resistant, tolerates cutting well, is not picky about the soil, but has a negative attitude to its compaction. Common lilacs are often used to create hedges.

* Broad-leaved lilac (lat. Syringa oblata) - the species is represented by a shrub with large leaves, which turn purple in autumn. Blooms in early May.

* Lilac hyacinth, or hyacinthous (Latin Syringa hyacinthiflora) - the species is represented by shrubs with heart-shaped leaves, which turn brown-purple in autumn. A distinctive feature of the species is its early flowering.

* Chinese lilac (lat. Syringa chinensis) - the species is represented by large wide shrubs with an openwork crown up to 5 m high. The flowers are purple-pink with a sweet aroma. Blooms in mid-May. The species is light-loving, wind-resistant, relatively winter-hardy. Prefers loamy soils with a rich mineral composition. Currently, varieties of Chinese lilacs with double flowers have been bred. Very decorative look.

* Persian lilac (Latin Syringa persica) - the species is represented by shrubs with dense branches up to 3 m high. The leaves are lanceolate, pointed at the ends. The flowers are light purple in color, have a strong specific aroma. Abundant and long-lasting flowering begins at the end of May. The species is photophilous, drought-resistant, winter-hardy, has a positive attitude to haircut and transplant.

* Hungarian lilac (lat. Syringa josikaea) - the species is represented by large shrubs up to 4 m high. The leaves are rough, green from the outside, bluish from the bottom, in autumn they acquire an orange-yellow color. The flowers are dark purple, have a pungent odor. Flowering begins in late May - early June. The species is frost-resistant, unpretentious. Prefers moist, acidic and slightly alkaline soils.

* Amur lilac (Latin Syringa amurensis) - the species is represented by large shrubs up to 10 m high. The leaves are bright green, heart-shaped. The flowers are small, white or cream in color, have a honey aroma. Abundant and long-lasting flowering begins in June.

Growing conditions

Lilac is a light-loving culture, it prefers areas that are well lit and protected from northern winds. Lowlands with stagnant water are not permissible, and the shrub also negatively refers to swampy or flooded areas in spring and autumn. Soils for growing lilacs are desirable fertile, moderately moist, well-drained, with a slightly acidic or neutral pH. Acidic soils require preliminary liming.

Reproduction and planting

Lilacs are propagated by seeds, layering, cuttings and grafting. Crop seeds are harvested in early October, and sowing is done in early spring. Seeds must be stratified before sowing. Shrub cuttings should be carried out during the period of mass flowering. Cuttings are cut from the middle part of annual shoots. It is recommended to use perlite, river sand or a mixture of vermiculite and sand as a substrate for cuttings.

Inoculation of the culture is performed either with a dormant bud or with a cuttings. It is necessary to grow grafted plants in the form of a bush, standard or half-stem form. The formation of the stem should be started 2-3 years after vaccination. The lilac on the trunk has a more attractive, neat and unusual appearance, but it is extremely important to regularly remove the shoots from the main shoot.

It is advisable to purchase lilac seedlings in special and proven nurseries. Closed root seedlings are preferred. Lilacs are planted in the second half of July - early September, but in the evening or cloudy weather, otherwise the culture will not take root. For the winter, young plants are mulched with peat.

Care

Lilac needs regular watering and weeding. Loosening should be carried out 3-4 times per season. In the second year of life, the plants are fed with nitrogen fertilizers, phosphorus and potash fertilizers are applied once every 2-3 years in the fall. For more abundant flowering, the culture is subjected to sanitary, thinning and formative pruning.

Application

Lilac is one of the most popular ornamental and flowering shrubs. It is difficult to imagine, but the plant has been cultivated since the 16th century. The culture is distinguished by long and abundant flowering. Most often used for landscaping gardens and parks. Shrubs are used in group plantings and as tapeworms. Lilac is also relevant in the art of creating bouquets, varieties of terry lilac look especially impressive.