Is lilac a shrub or a tree? How to grow lilacs at home
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In the spring, lilac is one of the first to bloom, which pleases not only with beautiful flowers, but also with a strong pleasant aroma. Looking at this beautiful large flowering plant, people are trying to understand: is a lilac a bush or a tree?
Types and varieties of bush lilac
Although lilac is a fairly tall plant, it belongs to the shrubs. Lilac genus Shrubs, Olive family. Currently, more than 30 species are known, most of them are wild plants. They can be found in Southeast Europe and Asia (mainly in China). Just like domestic varieties, wild representatives of this genus have beautiful flowers.
Lilac bloom
Flowers can be of different colors: white, lilac, purple, pink. Collected in a panicle. Leaves are usually whole, opposite arrangement, fall off in autumn. The fruit is a capsule.
In gardens, different types of lilacs can be found in all corners of Eurasia. The most widespread is common lilac.
Common lilac
Large shrub, up to 6 meters high. The description of all varieties is similar. The leaves are dense, smooth, dark green, up to 12 cm long, located on 3 cm petioles. Flowers of different shades of purple, collected in pyramidal inflorescences, up to 20 cm long, blooms at the age of 4 years. Southeast Europe is considered the homeland.
For active flowering, a fertile loamy soil is needed. It grows well on poorer soils. Tolerates slight drought, average frost resistance. Can grow in urban areas, allows a little shade. The root system is powerful, which must be taken into account when planting.
Lilacs in the city
It has a large number of varieties, with different flowering periods and different shades of flowers. Breeders have bred varieties even with yellow and pure pink flowers. The following varieties are popular:
- Lilac varieties Hydrangea;
- Dzhambul;
- India;
- Bohdan Khmelnytsky;
- And other varieties.
Persian lilac
As a result of selection, when crossing small-cut lilac with Afghani, a Persian lilac shrub was obtained. Its height does not exceed 2 meters, the branches are widely spread. Young branches have weak pubescence. The adult branches are brown, thin.
The flowers are distinguished by a strong aroma, are white or white-lilac in color. From the upper lateral buds, inflorescences develop, up to 10 cm long, up to 7.5 cm wide.
Persian lilac
Persian lilacs bloom in May. Fruiting occurs in July-August. Not found in the wild.
Chinese hybrid lilac
In 1777, another type of lilac was obtained in France - the Chinese hybrid. It was bred by crossing common lilac with Persian. It is a powerful shrub with spreading branches, its height reaches 5 m. It has pointed ovoid leaves and large flowers, the diameter of which reaches 1.8 cm. Collected in panicles, the length of which is up to 10 cm.
After blooming, the flowers have a reddish-purple hue and a delicate pleasant aroma. Currently, varieties with white, pink and dark pink double flowers have been bred.
Shaggy lilac
Has a second name - hairy. Shrub up to 4 m high. The foliage is dense, the branches are erect. Branches older than 2 years are naked, brown-yellow in color. It grows in China.
It has fragrant flowers of a delicate purple color, collected in inflorescences, the length of which reaches 15-30 cm. It blooms in June-July. Good frost resistance. Used for landscaping, both in group plantings and as a hedge.
Lilac Zvyagintsev
It got its name in honor of the Governor of Riga - Zvyagintsev. It was discovered recently by the expedition of G.N. Potanin. In its natural environment, it grows in the mountain valleys of China.
Zvyagintsev variety
The height of the shrub is up to 5 meters, the crown is dense, the branches are erect. The length of the leaf is from 4 to 11 cm. There are rare hairs on top of the leaves. The buds are pink. The flowers are very fragrant. When flowering, the bush looks spectacular, the flowering period is about 2 weeks.
Amur lilac
Under natural conditions, it can be found in the Far East and China. Under favorable conditions, it grows up to 20 m.In gardens, the maximum height is about 10 m.
The biggest disadvantage is that the Amur lilac blooms at 9-10 years of age. Flowering is quite long - 20 days. Grows well in urban conditions, hardy.
Hungarian lilac
In the wild, it is found in the Carpathians, Hungary and Yugoslavia. The shrub is relatively low, on average 3-4 m, the maximum height is 7 m. There are many branches. The flowers are long, tubular, often purple, not very fragrant.
The plant is unpretentious, grows quickly even in an urban environment. It tolerates dust and natural anomalies well. Flowering lasts 3-4 weeks.
Types and varieties of tree lilac
The tree lilac looks a lot like a tree, but is actually a shrub.
Meyer
Compact bushes of dwarf lilacs of this variety do not grow more than 1.5 m.The plant grows only 10 cm per year.The shoots are brown, the leaves are small, up to 47 cm.The length of the inflorescence is on average 10 cm.The colors are varied: white, purple, red ... Blooms in the last decade of May - early June. It can withstand both severe winters and dry summers.
Ludwig Shpet
Sprawling shrub with bright purple flowers, gathered in a large panicle. It grows up to 3.5 cm. Lives over 100 years. Growing fast. Homeland - Germany.
Miss Canada
An unpretentious plant, reaches a height of 2.5 m. It blooms profusely, flowers are small, burgundy-red. Prefers sunny areas with loose soil.
Michelle Buchner
Light-loving shrub up to 4 m high. Prefers fertile soils with good lighting. It grows well in urban conditions, this variety is used for landscaping. The flowers are double, lilac. Blooms in late May and blooms for quite a long time.
Madame Lemoine
The variety acquired its name in honor of the wife of the French breeder Victor Lemoine, who bred it. Panicles are large, up to 20 cm long and up to 8 cm wide. In the buds, the petals are green at first, but when blooming, they change color to white. Blooms profusely annually.
Beauty of Moscow
This beautiful variety is distinguished by its double flowers, similar to those of a rose. The color is pinkish-white. The diameter of the flower reaches 2.5 cm, the length of the panicle is 25 cm.
Moscow beauty
Blooms for a long time. A very beautiful and unusual variety.
Sensation
The variety got its name for its unusual flowers, bright purple with a white border. The flowers are large, with a weak aroma. The leaves are dark green. Mostly propagated by cuttings.
Akkubifolia
It differs from other varieties in an unusual variegated color of foliage. The flowers are semi-double, rather large, with a strong aroma. The bush is tall, under favorable conditions it grows up to 4 m.
Types and varieties of indoor lilac
It is almost impossible to grow lilacs in a house or apartment. But there is a hybrid plectrantus plant.Its second name is indoor lilac. Those who see him for the first time immediately ask themselves: are lilacs flowers or a shrub?
Its feature is long flowering. The bush blooms in February and blooms until the end of autumn. Grows well in a pot on a windowsill. The flowers are lilac, with insufficient light they turn pale.
Plectrantus hybrid
Minimal care: watering, loosening, fertilizing and pruning. In the summer, plectrantus can be planted in open ground.
Small-leaved lilac
Shrub with a spherical crown. It reaches 1.5-2 m in height and width. It got its name for the small size of the leaves. Blooms for a long time. When blooming, the flowers are purple-pink, then they change color to a lighter one.
How to grow lilacs on a windowsill
On cold winter evenings, I really want to have a piece of spring at home. Lilacs just symbolize her arrival. If you wish, you can get a blooming twig of lilacs for the New Year's holiday, but for this you have to try.
To do this, in September-October, lilac shoots with a length of about 80 cm are cut off and packed in polyethylene, placed in a refrigerator, kept in a refrigerator for 4-5 weeks.
After that, the shoots are dipped in a container of cold water for 10-12 hours. It remains only to place the shoots in a container of clean water in an upright position. Maintain optimal temperature conditions in the room:
- 1 week - 25 degrees;
- 2 week - 20 degrees;
- the next weeks - 18-20 degrees.
Grows at home
If all the conditions are met, you can get blooming lilacs on the windowsill in 3-4 weeks.
Propagation by cuttings
The easiest way to propagate lilacs is by cuttings.
How to propagate lilacs by cuttings at home? Propagation by cuttings occurs in two ways:
- Woody cuttings in the fall;
- Green twigs in spring.
It can also multiply by seeds.
When propagating by woody cuttings, planting material is prepared in late autumn - early winter. To do this, choose branches with a length of 15 cm.
Cut cuttings are buried in the snow or put into a cellar, after placing them in wet sand. In spring, twigs are planted for rooting.
Growing planting material
Since lilacs take root rather poorly, more planting material should be planted. In the spring, the twigs are soaked for half a day in a rooting stimulator.
Mini-greenhouse
Planted in prepared beds. The row spacing should be 10 cm. The top of the bed is covered with a film.
Planting lilacs in a pot
If it is not possible to prepare a mini-greenhouse for cuttings, they can be transplanted into indoor pots in a similar way. Small boxes are best suited for this purpose. The distance between the rows is at least 10 cm. In such containers, the cuttings can grow until roots are formed, after which they should be transplanted to a permanent place.
Pruning lilac seedlings
How to plant lilacs? After about 30-60 days, roots are formed. Then the cuttings are planted in a permanent place where the seedlings will grow. The formation of the crown begins to be carried out after 3 years. Pruning is carried out in early spring. At the same time, root shoots are removed, leaving only 6-8 beautifully arranged branches.
Care
Lilac care is minimal, so if the seedling has taken root, then in the future it will grow without problems. All care is added in watering, loosening and feeding.
Lilac garden
Watering mode
At the onset of summer, the lilac bush is watered when the soil dries. 2-3 buckets of water are consumed per plant. During the summer, weeds are removed and the soil is loosened. Since August, watering is reduced and watered only in case of prolonged drought.
Top dressing
A young seedling is fed only with nitrogen fertilizers in small quantities. In the second year, 55 g of urea and 70 g of ammonium nitrate are introduced. Additionally, organic fertilizers are applied, from 10 to 30 liters of mullein infusion is poured under the bush.
During flowering
No special care is required during the flowering period. Watering is sufficient if there is no rain. With sufficient humidity, you just need to enjoy the beautiful view.
Lilac is very unpretentious to care for, therefore, if you managed to root it, you can expect that, after a few years, a beautiful and fragrant shrub will surround the garden. It is quite simple to choose the variety of the desired color and aroma, because the varietal assortment is quite wide. Lilacs, like hydrangeas, can become a real decoration of the garden.
