Lilac: tips for growing in pots and open ground

In May, fragrant lilac flowers decorate parks, streets and gardens, being one of the first harbingers of spring. There are many types of lilacs known, which can vary in height from 100 to 600 cm and bloom in white, yellow, blue, purple and pink flowers.

The green leaves of lilac are heart-shaped and seem to symbolize the awakening of feelings inherent in the spring period, among which, of course, is love. Growing this magnificent shrub is not difficult, and thanks to the variety of varieties (more than 800), it can become a real hobby.

Botanical description

Lilac is a deciduous shrub native to China. Over time, the plant spread throughout Southeast Asia and Southeast Europe, where today it grows in a variety of climates. Lilacs have small to medium-sized opposite and mostly solid green heart-shaped leaves. The branches are long, the bark on young shoots is first dark green and then gray-brown. The shrub grows up to 6 m in height and blooms intensely from April to May with fragrant flowers.

Most often, lilac can be found in gardens and parks, where it grows in both single and group plantings. The plant can also be grown as a tree with a beautiful crown or used to create a flowering hedge.

Growing and care

The main difficulty in growing lilacs is choosing the type and variety. Some species can grow only up to 1.5 m in height, while others reach 6 m and higher, also growing in width. And although lilac tolerates pruning well, excessively shortened branches may stop blooming. On sale you can find species with an open (the cheapest option) and a closed root system, but both should be planted as soon as possible.

Location

The more sunlight a plant receives, the more luxuriantly it blooms, so the planting site should be well lit. Some tall species cannot tolerate strong winds and should be planted in a sheltered location. Others, on the contrary, have no problems with this and are even suitable as a wind fence.

Note! Lilacs develop a strong root system, so do not plant them too close to walls, which will hinder the growth of the entire plant.

Lilac with five petals: signs

branch of blooming lilac with a flower of 5 petals
Since childhood, we remember the main sign about lilac. If you find a flower with 5 petals on a blooming bunch, be sure to pick it, quickly make a wish and eat it. And believe that it will certainly come true.

Another interpretation says that your cherished wish will come true if you simply find a flower with 5 petals on a blossoming bunch.

Young girls of marriageable age also like to tell fortunes by the colors of lilacs. If you manage to find a five-petalled star and eat it, making a wish about your future marriage, then matchmakers will soon knock on your house with a wedding.

Planting substrate

The choice of soil depends on the species. The popular common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) grows best in nutrient-rich, fairly dry clay soil with a high lime content. Preston lilac (Syringa prestoniae) prefers calcareous and slightly moister soils. In general, all species adapt well to almost any conditions, although the following criteria are optimal:

• Nutrient-rich calcareous or slightly acidic soils with good permeability. • Ideal pH is from 5 to 7. • Soil moisture is moderately dry to moderately moist, but without the risk of waterlogging.

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Like all variegates, each pedilanthus is special and unique. It will wonderfully decorate a window sill, cabinet or shelf.

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Boarding time

The best time for planting is autumn, when the soil is still warm and the plant has time to take root well. In principle, it is also possible to purchase and plant in the spring. This way you can enjoy some light blooms, although not all plants will bloom in the first year (it usually takes 1 to 2 years before the first flowers appear). It is best to buy a flowering specimen to be sure that the seedling matches the variety. When planting in spring, adequate watering is necessary during the first weeks and months.

• Dig a planting hole twice the size of the root ball. • Loosen the soil well and mix with compost. Do not use peat whose pH is too acidic! • First keep seedlings with an open root system in warm water for about an hour, then carefully straighten the roots and plant them so that the main stem is at soil level. • Plant the lilac in a container as deep as it grew in the pot. • Then cover the roots with soil, tamp down and water. • If the soil is very acidic, apply a little lime to the root. Then, every 3-5 years, add lime along with irrigation water. • Mulching will protect the soil from dehydration and ensure a balanced temperature in the root zone.

Advice! Plant varietal lilacs so that the grafting site is below the soil surface. If it turns out to be too high, it may happen that shoots of ordinary lilac begin to grow.

How to plant lilacs at home?

Lilac bushes are most often planted. Moreover, it is advisable to purchase them in a specialized nursery, where they grow your preferred plant variety. When choosing a suitable variety of lilac, special attention should be paid to the color, aroma, height and type of adult plant (bush or tree).

If you prefer a bush-like lilac (for example, the “Superba” or “Palibin” varieties, reaching no more than one or two meters in height), you will not be able to turn it into a tree. If it is preferable for you to plant a tree, immediately select an appropriate seedling (for example, the “surinda reticulata” variety, which can grow up to six to nine meters in height).

In a specialized nursery you can purchase a lilac seedling in person or by mail. Experts advise purchasing planting material at the end of winter or early spring, that is, before the vegetative mass appears. It is advisable to immediately ask questions to the sellers regarding the features of caring for the selected plant variety.

An alternative option is to take a seedling from a friend or acquaintance. It is advisable to dig it up in the spring when leaf buds first form or small leaves appear. © https://ydoo.info/qa/kak-vyrastit-siren.htmlThe height of the seedling should be more than 30 centimeters. When digging, it is important to capture the root base (the more, the better the plant will take root in the new place). To separate the baby from the mother specimen, it is enough to cut the shoots using an ordinary garden shovel (the tool does not need disinfection).

When the seedling has already been selected, you need to decide on the preferred location for planting the fragrant plant. Keep in mind that lilac needs:

1. Abundant sunshine. Choose a suitable location where the sun shines for six or more hours a day.
2. Good air circulation. It is advisable not to have a large number of other plants nearby to avoid stagnant or humid air, which leads to the development of diseases.
3. Drainage soil. In some regions, drainage is a problem. The solution is to create a raised bed or mound before planting.

Do not plant lilacs close to other trees, especially those with developed root systems. Lilac roots need a significant amount of free space to grow.

Now you need to prepare the plant for planting. How to do it? The root system of the seedling must be immersed in water and kept for 10-15 minutes. After this, gently remove the dirt ball by hand to separate the roots.

Planting lilacs is preferable either in autumn or spring.

To plant lilacs in the chosen location, you need to dig a hole deep enough to hide the roots. Please note that the base of the plant should be located at ground level. Hold the seedling with your hand and immerse it in the dug hole, carefully sprinkle the roots halfway with soil. Then the hole needs to be watered and the remaining amount of soil added. Under no circumstances should soil be poured above the lowest point of the base, because this is detrimental to lilacs.

Please also consider the following recommendations:

1. If the soil in the region where you live is not very fertile, add some bone meal, compost or fertilizer before planting the seedling in the hole. This will have a beneficial effect on the growth of the plant, its survival rate and subsequent flowering.
2. If the soil in the region where the plant is planted is acidic, then you need to sprinkle the soil above the roots of the seedling with pure lime (the layer should be up to 0.5-1 centimeter). This procedure must be repeated every 3-5 years.
3. When planting two or more lilac bushes, you need to take into account that the optimal space between them is from two to five meters, depending on the chosen variety. This will allow the lilac to develop normally and delight with flowering.

You can use other types of plant cultivation. It is more popular to use cuttings or twigs, which are placed in water (it should be changed once every three days) and wait for the roots to appear. Less popular is the use of seeds, which are sent to a home greenhouse or greenhouse and wait for germination. Then the sprouts are placed in water and wait for the roots to appear. The next step in both cases is to plant the plant in a pot of soil at home, and when the cutting turns into a seedling, it can be transplanted to the site.

Growing lilacs in a pot

Not every lilac is suitable for growing indoors, at least not for a long time. For example, the common lilac can only spend the first 2-3 years in a pot if there is enough space for the root system. More suitable varieties are Syringa josiflexa and Syringa prestoniae, which feel great both in small gardens and tubs. They bloom after Syringa vulgaris, thereby extending the flowering period. Also ideal is the dwarf aromatic lilac Syringa meyeri, which grows up to 1.2m tall and wide and blooms with fragrant light purple flowers in May and June. The plant looks especially beautiful as a standard one.

• The planting container should be twice as large as the pot in which the seedling was purchased. Then the plant needs to be replanted every two years. • The drainage layer prevents water accumulation. However, watering should be carried out even in winter so that the root ball never completely dries out.

1. When choosing soil, remember that lilac loves alkaline soil and does not tolerate acidic soil. To even out the acid-base balance, add about 200 grams of limestone or, better yet, dolomite.
2. Never water immediately after the soil on top has dried a little. Lilacs do not tolerate swamps, so the optimal time for watering is when the soil has dried to a depth of about 2-2.5 cm.
3. Lilacs need cold weather, so never suddenly move the bush from the garden to the house in the autumn-winter period. In the cold season, arrange ventilation on the balcony - otherwise the buds simply will not ripen.
4. Every year at the beginning of spring, fertilizers are added to the container. The optimal formula is 10-10-10 (see article on the composition of fertilizers)
5. If you see that the roots have begun to “jump” out of the flowerpot, arm yourself with a sharp knife and start removing 2.5 cm from each side of the root ball. You can also use garden shears to cut off roots that are too thick.

When it comes to crown pruning, there is no solution for all cases. Firstly, lilacs grow more slowly at home than in the garden. Secondly, even without trimming the branches, the bush will feel good. However, decorative pruning will turn your balcony garden into an aesthetic place where you can relax your soul.

Lilac is famous for the beauty of its flowers and wonderful aroma, so many people want to plant it on their site. The tree will look great in a country house or in the local area of ​​urban buildings.

How to prepare water

Lilacs will last longer and will delight you with a unique aroma if you meet one more necessary condition: prepare the water according to the rules. Ideally, it is advisable to take melt water from a spring or well. However, in urban environments this is quite difficult to do. Therefore, filtered tap water in a city apartment is quite suitable. It should be noted that if the water for the bouquet is not properly prepared, the bouquet will quickly wither.

First, you need to let the water sit in a warm room. Ideally, the temperature of the prepared water should be almost equal to the room temperature.

Experts recommend using a little trick and preparing a nutrient solution: dilute one spoon of sugar in a small amount of prepared water, or dissolve acetylsalicylic acid. The water in the vase must be replaced every day. Also, for feeding, one of the following substances is added to the water where the lilac stands:

• one spoon of vinegar
• two tablespoons of lemon juice or acid
• one teaspoon of potassium permanganate
• two teaspoons of alcohol

Advantage of cuttings

Lilac cuttings have advantages over other options for obtaining ready-made bushes. When using seeds yourself, difficulties may arise, since they do not always germinate easily.

Purchasing seedlings leads to additional costs, so taking lilac cuttings will also be a profitable option. If you understand the intricacies of planting using other methods, you can choose any one. Any method requires careful preparation and step-by-step procedures. Don't forget about maintenance, which should be regular.

Lilac is a shrub or tree

Many summer residents find it difficult to answer the question whether lilac is a shrub or a tree. The familiar lilac bushes have been supplemented with new hybrids that look like small trees and belong to the tree species.

Appearance of a lilac bush

Breeders claim that lilac is a shrub from which, if necessary, a small tree can be formed by proper pruning. Such bushes are used to create landscape compositions and decorate park areas.

Choosing a cutting

Before you learn how to grow lilac from a twig, you should choose the right cutting - it depends on whether the shoot will take root or not. The branch must be cut carefully. This should be done in early spring, when the cutting is not yet actively growing, otherwise it will be difficult for it to take root.

It is necessary to cut green branches of medium thickness. A cutting from the crown of a young bush, preferably from the middle, is perfect. It will be possible to grow a bush if there are 2-3 nodes and small internodes on the branch. It is advisable to cut cuttings early in the morning - they will take root better.

Awakens creativity

Shrubs growing near a home also have a positive effect on people associated with creativity. It promotes:

• inspiration;
• elation;
• awakening dormant abilities;
• creative inspiration;
• the emergence of a working impulse;
• awakening intuition.

So, all the signs associated with lilacs planted near the house are aimed at gaining spiritual warmth and protection from negativity. If you have nowhere to plant a shrub, then you can bring a bouquet to your apartment and ask it to protect your home or give mutual and true love.

Lilac care

After planting in open ground, the plant requires virtually no care, at least if a good location and suitable substrate are provided. If you choose an unfavorable place for planting, lilacs become susceptible to diseases and pests. Most types of lilac are hardy enough that they do not need winter protection, except for those grown in a pot.

Recipes

Black cohosh: tips for care and planting in open ground

Many people have heard about the unique healing qualities of lilac flowers. Since ancient times, recipes based on it have been passed down from generation to generation. The miracle plant is used not only as a medicine, but also for cosmetic masks, infusions or tonics. In addition, jam made from lilac flowers has different taste qualities. Even diabetics can take it. Syrup from this raw material will help get rid of colds. Tea will have a calming and tonic effect on the human body.

The benefits are also undeniable for impotence or for increasing sensitivity during sexual intercourse. Aromatherapy has long used lilac flower oil to achieve a healing effect.

Due to the toxicity of this plant, it must be taken very carefully, carefully observing the dosage. Otherwise, the medicinal oil will not lead to an improvement in the patient’s condition, but will cause symptoms of overdose

Infusion of lilac flowers with vodka

Alcohol tincture helps to cope with many diseases, but it is especially effective for joint diseases. To prepare it, you need to fill a loosely filled jar with dried flowers and add vodka or alcohol. Close the container tightly and place it in a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks. In this case, it is necessary to shake the jar daily. At the end of 2 weeks, the tincture should be filtered and consumed if necessary.

Tincture of lilac flowers perfectly helps to cope with the following diseases:

• radiculitis,
• rheumatism,
• angina,
• heel spur,
• laryngitis,
• wounds or bruises,
• varicose veins,
• pharyngitis,
• acne.

In addition, for oily skin, it is necessary to wipe the face with a tincture diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.

Lilac flower ointment

An ointment based on this plant will help cope with the following diseases:

• headache,
• joint inflammation,
• migraine,
• joint sprain,
• injury,
• heel spur.

Preparing the ointment is very simple. First, you need to grind the dry raw materials with a blender to a powder state, after which you need to mix it with butter or Vaseline. The ointment should be stored in the refrigerator. It will be simply irreplaceable in the event of the above diseases.

In spring, such an ointment can be made with fresh juice of lilac leaves. It should be used like the flower ointment. This product will be an excellent massage oil that smells nice and works great.

Infusion of lilac leaves

Making an infusion is quite simple. You need to brew 1 tbsp. l. dry leaves with 1 cup boiling water. Cover the mixture for half an hour and strain. Can be used for the following diseases:

• urolithiasis disease,
• diarrhea,
• impotence,
• stomach ulcer,
• radiculitis,
• flatulence,
• cold,
• polyatritis and many others.

The infusion can be used externally for blurred vision, eye fatigue or irritation. Washing with a flower infusion helps cleanse the skin, disinfect and tone the skin.

For insomnia, take orally just before bedtime. To relieve dryness or pain in the eyes, you can apply tampons soaked in the infusion for 15 minutes.

Lilac buds for diabetes: recipe

The kidneys are filled with raw water and infused for about half an hour. After this, the water is drained and refilled with boiling water. The second time you need to insist for at least 6 hours. The finished infusion is taken daily for a week.

This drug will help give the body an incentive to carefully absorb insulin. Even medications can be taken with the decoction. This medication should only be taken under the supervision of a physician.

Trimming

Regular pruning promotes good branching and, accordingly, lush flowering. With the help of pruning, you can significantly rejuvenate old plants or reduce their height, which is also not a problem. Lilac easily recovers even after radical pruning, but it is better to do it immediately after flowering.

Rejuvenation pruning also results in the formation of new shoots from the roots, which may be desirable for shrubby species, but in woody species these shoots are removed immediately after pruning. The excellent ability of lilac to regenerate can be used for growing and forming hedges.

You can see how to properly prune lilacs in this video:

Theoretical diagrams for pruning lilacs and explanations of why you need to do it this way can be found in this video:

Do not forget to perform sanitary pruning every spring and throughout the summer and autumn, removing all damaged and drying branches.

When pruning, all dried and damaged branches are also removed, and the rest are cut to a length of about 20-30 cm. New shoots will begin to grow in a few days.

Why lilacs are given as gifts: signs

On the first date, a guy in love tried to present the girl with a bouquet of lilacs. This is how he showed the purity of his intentions, his reverent attitude towards his beloved and the seriousness of his thoughts. Especially if he was carrying a bouquet of white lilacs in his hands. A young lady will appreciate such a gift as a marriage proposal from a young man/man.

If bouquets of lilacs are given among family and close friends, then this is expected and is perceived positively. However, in relation to unfamiliar people, such an act is inappropriate. You don't plan to connect your life with them, do you? Moreover, you are not going to love them with deep, pure love, remain faithful and fulfill your duty.

The fragrance and beauty of blooming lilacs leave no one indifferent. If you plucked several branches in a fit of good feelings, take into account the signs and attitude of other people towards receiving such a bouquet.

Better yet, develop your character traits, learn to hear your inner voice, which will help you choose the right bouquet/lilac seedling and the person to present it/place for planting.

We wish you happiness!

Reproduction

Lilacs are very easy to propagate, so you can use them to create a beautiful hedge for free. Propagation methods include cuttings, dividing the bush, growing from seeds and grafting.

By dividing the bush, you can obtain seedlings with a powerful root system that grow faster and form stronger plants with more shoots. Growing lilacs from seeds is not profitable in terms of time. A good method is cuttings, for which, before flowering begins, you need to cut off young shoots with 4-6 buds and plant them in protected soil. If you don’t have a greenhouse or greenhouse so that the cuttings can take root, they can be pruned in the summer. Before planting, it is recommended to treat the cuttings with a growth stimulator. Under good conditions and temperatures above 20 °C, rooting occurs within 2-3 weeks, in colder conditions - from a month to a month and a half.

Lilac cuttings in spring and summer: planting

In the case of lilacs, it is important to adhere to rooting technology, because the plant is very sensitive to various negative factors. To increase the chances that the tree will take root, gardeners treat the cuttings with heteroauxin or another growth stimulant:

1. Prepare a solution based on water or alcohol. Pour it into a container.
2. Tie the blanks. Deepen them into the solution by about 1 cm.
3. Leave for 18 hours. This period is enough to completely saturate the twig.
4. Wash the cuttings thoroughly. Better - several times. Now they are ready for rooting.

Green cuttings are rooted immediately on the site. Before planting, prepare the soil: mix 2 parts of lower peat and 1 part of high peat. Dilute the soil with coarse perlite. Good conditions for root development are plenty of moisture and moderate lighting.

To ensure these conditions, make a greenhouse:

1. Choose a well-lit place on the site where the rays will not burn on a hot summer afternoon.
2. Dig a hole in the ground - 20 cm. The width of the hole is about 1 m.
3. Cover the bottom with a drainage layer.
4. Place alternate layers of manure and regular garden soil (or sand) on top - 8 cm each.
5. Lightly compact and water the top layer with a fungicide solution.
6. Dip the bottom edge of the cutting in Kornevin or another dry growth stimulator.
7. Deepen the material so that the cuttings touch only the top layer of the greenhouse. Water the shoots.

A greenhouse will not be complete without a sealed film cover. Hang the polyethylene at a height of about 40 cm. Place white paper or fabric on top - it will help protect the cuttings from the scorching sun. To prevent the material from flying away from a gust of wind, secure another layer of film on top. Water the cuttings once a week. After about 30-50 days, the shoot should be fixed in the ground with roots, but they will be fully formed only after 3 months.

Medicine

The lifespan of a lilac bush is 15-20 years. Lilac is a well-known medicine in folk medicine. Its bark, buds, leaves and flowers are used for medicinal purposes. Chemically, lilac has not been studied enough. It is known that its various parts contain the bitter glycoside sinigrin, essential oil, syrignopicrin and farnesol. Lilac leaves are collected in dry weather in the first half of summer. They are scattered in a thin layer and dried in the shade or in a dryer at a temperature of 40-60 ° C. The bark is collected from young stems. It is stored in a wooden container or linen bag for 2 years. The inflorescences are collected during the budding period along with the branches. They are tied into bundles and dried in the shade, under a canopy or in the attic. Lilac for kidney diseases. Infusion and tincture of lilac leaves are used in folk medicine for inflammatory kidney diseases and stones in the renal pelvis. To prepare the infusion, pour 2 tablespoons of crushed leaves into 250 g of hot water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and leave in a warm place for 2-3 hours. Then filter and squeeze. Take 1 tablespoon 4 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 2 weeks. After 2-3 weeks, treatment can be repeated if necessary. You can conduct 3-4 courses. A tincture of leaves is prepared with vodka in a ratio of 1:20. Take it 15-20 drops 3-4 times a day before meals. Antipyretic and diaphoretic. Lilac infusion is used as an antipyretic and diaphoretic. To do this, pour 2 tablespoons of a mixture of lilac and linden flowers into 250 g of boiling water and leave for 1 hour in a warm place. Take 250 g 3-4 times a day warm. The same infusion, as well as infusion and tincture of lilac leaves (see above) stop attacks of malaria. Another lilac tincture is used in the treatment of malaria. To prepare it, wash it with water and put 20 pieces of fresh green lilac leaves into a liter bottle. Then add 2 g of fresh wormwood and 1 g of eucalyptus oil. Fill to the top with vodka and leave for 14 days in a dark place. Take a small glass before an attack of malaria once a day. If the disease does not go away, take the tincture 2-3 times a day before meals. Wound healing and pain reliever. To treat wounds, bruises, and rheumatism, lotions and compresses from tincture of lilac flowers are used, which are changed 4-5 times a day. To prepare the tincture, pour 1 glass of flowers into 0.5 liters of vodka and leave for 2 weeks. Hard-to-heal wounds and festering ulcers can be treated with a strong decoction of lilac leaves, as well as fresh leaves or the bark of young branches. In this case, the affected area is steamed with hot water and covered with well-washed fresh raw materials, after which it is bandaged. On the first day, the bandage is changed 3-4 times a day, and then once a day. Lilac tincture is used in folk medicine as a rub for joint rheumatism and lower back pain. To do this, infuse 1 glass of lilac flowers in 0.5 liters of 40 percent alcohol for 7-10 days and rub the sore spots with this tincture. For rheumatism, arthritis, osteochondrosis, you can also use another rub: 2 tablespoons of crushed fresh lilac leaves, 300 g of radish juice, 200 g of honey and 100 g of vodka, leave for 24 hours. Mix well and rub into sore areas. For gout, rheumatism, salt deposits, and joint arthritis, traditional medicine recommends the following course of treatment. Lilac flowers are loosely poured into a half-liter bottle to the top, filled with 40 percent alcohol, left for 21 days in a dark place, then filtered. Take 30 drops 3 times a day before meals for 3 months. For radiculitis, rheumatism, and polyarthritis, it is recommended to take an infusion of lilac flowers internally. To prepare it, pour 1 tablespoon of flowers into 250 g of boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Then filter and take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day. For radiculitis, a tincture of flowers is also used. Infuse 1 part of flowers in 5 parts of 40 percent alcohol for 7 days. Strain and take 30 drops 3 times a day. For rheumatoid arthritis, an anesthetic ointment is prepared from lilac flowers. To do this, 2 tablespoons of crushed flowers are thoroughly ground with 2 tablespoons of butter. For heel spurs, make compresses from tincture of lilac flowers and take it orally, 30 drops 2-3 times a day. Lilac for respiratory diseases. For bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis, an infusion of lilac flowers is used as an antitussive in folk medicine. Pour 250 g of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of flowers and let it brew for 1 hour at room temperature. Then strain and take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day. Lilac for diseases of the nervous system. Tea from dried lilac flowers is drunk for epilepsy.

Treatment against diseases and pests

If on the lilac itself or on neighboring bushes last year you noticed obvious signs of disease or damage by any insect pests (lilac hawk moths, powdery mildew), then before the buds open, you should treat the bushes with special solutions. For example, you can spray with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or prepare a solution of copper oxychloride by dissolving 2-3 tablespoons of the product in 1 bucket of water.

But, as a rule, few people have ever heard of, much less seen, lilacs being sick or being attacked by pests.

Video: lilac care and pest control

There is nothing more beautiful and fragrant in spring than lilac bushes. However, it also has its own character and its own requirements for planting, care and pruning. Follow our advice and recommendations, and lilac will willingly grow and bloom in your area.

Video: planting, care, cultivation and propagation of lilacs

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Pest and disease control

Most often, indoor pedilanthus gets sick due to improper care, and these are usually fungal diseases. If the leaves become covered with brown spots, the shoots turn black, and the old stems become softer, you urgently need to get rid of all the affected areas.

We recommend replanting the plant, carefully examining its roots, treating everything with fungicides and adjusting the watering regime. If it is too late to save the bush due to damage to the stem or roots, you can have time to root healthy cuttings.

Among the pests, spider mites, mealybugs, aphids and whiteflies are occasionally found. It is enough to treat with special insecticides for indoor plants.

Photo: marilynmanson.ru

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Features of grafted lilac: advantages and disadvantages

Looking to the root

In my opinion, you can buy grafted lilacs today only out of despair or for special purposes. Grafting allows you to quickly fix rare varieties, which usually come from foreign botanical gardens or private collections in the form of cuttings. Or quickly duplicate new ones, just bred, so that if the queen cell is lost, you won’t lose them.

In addition, there are special cases when you need to quickly obtain spectacular, beautiful, uniform planting material that is equal in height and crown size - for example, lilacs grafted onto a tall trunk for a front alley. Of course, such plantings will require additional care, but they have a right to exist. At the same time, we should not forget about the risks that can put an end to all this beauty overnight.

To understand what the disadvantages of grafted lilacs are, you first need to understand the rootstocks. Typically, there are three options on the market.

Features of grafting lilac onto privet

Lilac grafted onto privet is the cheapest and most unreliable planting material. Privet for rootstocks is supplied to us en masse from the southern regions; harsh winters near Moscow can be fatal for it. And no matter how beautiful the stories about the instant transfer of the scion to its roots during deep planting may sound, they do not always become reality. Sooner or later the scion dies, often along with the rootstock.

My advice is not to waste time growing such seedlings, no matter how tempting their price may be.

Lilac grafted onto privet after 1 winter.

Features of lilac grafting onto Hungarian lilac

Its popularity as a rootstock is due to the fact that this lilac takes cuttings well and propagates well by seeds. If we add to this a high growth rate and a high percentage of graft survival, then such a rootstock should be considered ideal. But only in the eyes of manufacturers. We, gardeners, should know that with initial excellent survival rate, strong fusion of the rootstock and scion does not occur: the bushes will grow well, produce large inflorescences, delight you not one or two, but even several years, but on one bad day a sharp gust of wind or a drift of wet snow lying on the branches will forever separate the roots and the crown, leaving only regrets about past luxury as a memory. If you are careful, you will easily notice the signs of an impending disaster by the characteristic influx at the grafting site due to the incompatibility of the tissues of the scion and rootstock.

Read more about Hungarian lilac

The border between the rootstock and scion on lilac.

Features of grafting lilac onto common lilac

This is the best option. Its advantage is the reliable fusion of the rootstock and scion, which theoretically guarantees the longevity of the plant. In practice there are many problems. And the fight against shoots is not the worst thing, although you have probably heard stories about the mysterious “rebirth” or “cross-pollination” of lilacs: “It was dark, terry and lush, but has become small, simple and purple.” There are no mutant lilacs, it’s just that the growth from the rootstock clogged the varietal shoot, and the owner of the bush didn’t even realize that his lilac was grafted. Knowing this, you can control the situation. To do this, it is convenient to mark the grafting site with oil paint.

The main disadvantage of such lilacs is that with any serious injury the scion will die, leaving no chance for renewal. So, now I’m saying goodbye to my first grafted three-meter Beauty of Moscow: a huge frost break that appeared last year right at the grafting site led to the fact that in the spring half of the branches had to be cut out. The rootstock reacted instantly - the shoots around the bush began to grow in a thick brush. Don't ignore this warning sign. If the grafted bush begins to sprout too actively, which was not observed before, take a closer look at the crown.

Degeneration of varietal grafted lilac.

Popular varieties

• "Meyer" is a small, neat tree that grows quite slowly. The flowers have a burgundy-pink hue and a sweetish smell. Lilac of this variety pleases with its flowering twice - in May and in June. The leaves retain their charm until autumn; only towards the end of September do they begin to fade. "Meyer" looks great in group plantings.
• "Ludwig Shpet" has a gorgeous spreading crown and has more than one trunk. The height can reach 4 m, and the crown width is about 3 m or more. Large inflorescences delight with their raspberry-lilac color in May-June.

• "Miss Canada" has a spherical crown up to 2 m wide. The trunk is no more than 2.5 m high and grows quite quickly. Bright pink inflorescences consist of many small flowers that decorate the garden for two months. This variety is not afraid of frost and insects.
• "Michelle Buchner" is distinguished by double flowers of pinkish-bluish color and elongated leaves the color of emeralds. This is a variety of contrasts: it has a small bush size and at the same time has large inflorescences - up to 30 cm in length.
• "Madame Lemoine" reaches a height of 3.5 m. Light green leaves are lost in white inflorescences during the flowering period.

• “Beauty of Moscow” pleases with long flowering from April to the end of June. Mature trees have a dense, rich crown of rich green color. And the pink flowers of this variety are fragrant, like small roses, and in appearance the double flowers resemble rosebuds.
• “Sensation” is a medium-sized variety, the crown width is no more than 1.5 m. Over the course of a year, the tree grows only 40 cm, which is quite slow. But the unusually beautiful inflorescences with bright purple flowers surrounded by white delight the eye until September.
• 'Accubifolia' also has purple flowers, but in a more subtle tone than 'Sensation'. The aroma of "Accubifolia" is very delicate, and the leaves do not have a uniform color. In total, the crown looks as if the artist’s hand has applied strokes of light yellow paint in places across the greenery.

• "General Pershing" is a tall tree (about 3-4 m), resistant to diseases and sudden temperature changes. At the beginning of summer it is covered with lilac-pink double flowers.
• “Moscow Sky” is capable of changing the color of the inflorescences: at first they are dark purple, almost inky, and by the end of flowering, which lasts about 3 months, they acquire a purple color. It reaches a height of 2.7 m. The foliage color is dark green.
• “Charles Jolie” is a fairly tall tree, it can grow up to 4 m. The peculiarity of this variety is its inflorescences, which consist of double purple flowers and have a pyramidal shape. Over the course of a year, the tree grows 30 cm taller.