By Barbara Fahs, Garden Guides Contributor
About Lilacs
Lilacs rank as one of the world's most beautiful and fragrant
flowering plants. A member of the olive family, the Syringa genus
includes 20 to 25 species of lilacs that are native to Europe and
Asia. They form attractive perennial shrubs that can grow up to 30
feet tall. Lilacs normally produce their fragrant light purple
flowers in the spring and are deciduous in winter.
Site Preparation
Lilacs prefer a slightly alkaline soil, but can tolerate clay or
sandy soils. Work some compost or humus into the soil before
planting as this will help to nourish the plant and to keep the
soil moist during dry spells. Favor areas such as hillsides or
other locales where your plants will not be in standing
water.
Special Features
In the language of flowers, purple colored lilacs symbolize first
love, while the white-flowering varieties represent youthful
innocence. Lilacs are typically grown for their beauty and fragrant
flowers. Common lilac is the state flower of New Hampshire, as it
stands for the hardy character of that state's people.
Choosing a Variety
Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) and French lilac are most likely
the varieties you will find at nurseries, although many types
exist. However, if you can find several different varieties,
lilacs' relatively short blooming period can be extended through
staggered plantings.
Planting
The fastest way to get a blooming lilac bush is to buy a young
plant from a nursery. Even then, you might need to wait for two or
three years to see and smell your first lilac flowers. Starting
lilacs from seed can be difficult and if you succeed, you will need
to wait four or five years for your plant to bloom.
You can take shoots from an existing plant and start them in pots.
Shoots pop up at the base of older plants and are attached to the
root system, so try to dig up as much root as possible for the best
success. When your young shoots are robustly growing, transplant
them to the garden, add some compost to the planting hole and plant
three to five shoots in an area to make certain that at least one
survives. Try to transplant in early spring when the weather is
cool, as they do not care for hot, dry weather.
Care
Lilacs are very carefree and will provide you with many years of
enjoyment. The older wood on lilac bushes is what produces the most
flowers, so avoid pruning. However, it's a good practice to snip
off spent flowers. If you begin seeing powdery mildew, to which
lilacs are prone, dust with natural sulfur powder and perhaps do
some pruning around the plant to improve air circulation. Lilacs
like moist soil, but make sure the area where they are located
doesn't get waterlogged. You don't need to fertilize your lilacs
more than once a year, in the early spring. They thrive with a bit
of general-purpose fertilizer, especially one that is high in
phosphorus, which promotes blooming. Avoid high nitrogen
fertilizers because they will encourage vegetative growth and
discourage blooming. A good way to stimulate blooming is to collect
some fireplace ash and spread it around the base of your lilacs.
