Who doesn’t love lilacs? The ideal lilac shrub has about 10 canes and produces flowers at eye-level—all the better to enjoy that sweet, haunting fragrance.
Lilacs do come in seven colors, but most are familiar with the common lilac, Syringa vulgaris, which blooms in the northern states for 2 weeks in late May. However, there are early-, mid-, and late-season lilacs, which, when grown together, ensure a steady bloom for at least 6 weeks.
Lilacs are hardy, easy to grow, and low maintenance. They can grow from 5 to 15 feet tall, depending on the variety. The fragrant flowers are good for cutting and attractive to butterflies.
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Young lilacs, lovely green leaves that are tinged red
Hello. I received bare root lilacs from the Arbor Foundation last year. Planted them. seem fine. They are about a foot/foot and half now and very green leaves. BUT, I noticed last night some of the leaves are sort of tinged a darker red. The leaves look healthy..not dry...not curled....just sort of edged in red. Any thoughts? I am in SE Wisconsin.
Thanks
Red-Tinged Lilac Leaves
Hi Denise,
Red-tinged leaves can be a sign of a nutrient deficiency. The exact nutrient that the plant is lacking is hard to identify, so a good cure-all is to amend the soil with aged compost. We hope this helps!
Zone 7 with acidic soil
I live in Georgia and the soil is quite acidic, can I grow lilacs in a container? If I can, how big a container should I use and would bags of top soil be alkaline enough? What lilacs would be best to grow in a container?
Lilacs in Georgia
Lilacs need chilling hours during the winter so they’re not meant for most Southern climates, whether in the ground or a container. It’s not to say it can’t be done but most lilacs require over two thousand hours of temperatures below 45 degrees F. in order to bloom. They need the cold to set the buds for next year’s bloom. We’d suggest asking your local nurseries about varieties that have low-chilling requirements. From what we read, some lilacs that don’t need as much chilling are: ‘Lavender Lady’, ‘Blue Boy’, ‘Dark Knight’, ‘Miss Kim’, ‘Betsy Ross’ or ‘White Angel’ (‘Angel White’) lilac. Lilacs need a neutral soil so you’ll probably need to add lime.
Planting a lilac shrub in a container is doable but not recommended. Lilacs grow best when their roots are free to spread out. As you said, lilacs can’t tolerate acidic soil, and the same goes for soil in pots. Most commercial potting soils contain at least some pH lowering peat moss. So you’ll need to add 1 cup of dolomite lime to every 2 cubic feet of potting soil. Also, note that lilacs can’t overwinter inside. They need those chilling hours and must go outside.
Better yet, look for a similar plant that thrives naturally in Georgia such as Syringa laciniata (cut leaf lilac).
Growing back young plants & Starting from seed
Sigh. I'm trying to grow lilacs on a budget (no budget, really) and had 2 year old plants mowed completely down last year by mistake, but they're growing again; they're a couple of inches tall. How many years ya think til I'll see flowers? Also, from seed, how many years there? I'm 55 and don't want to wait a decade... Input please! Thanks :)
Young Lilacs
Generally, it’s not recommended to start lilacs from seed—it may be 3–4 years until they start flowering, assuming they are growing in optimal conditions. As for your small plants, they may produce blooms in another 2–3 years, or sooner if you’re lucky and they’re happy.
Dark Dark Purple Flowers
When I was a young girl we had a gorgeous lilac bush that had very deep dark purple flowers. Not red. Almost black. I cannot seem to find them anymore anywhere. Do they still exist? I know color is subjective, but these were such a dark purple and were beautiful!
Deep purple almost black
There are a few lilac shrubs that are deep purple, though we wouldn’t say they’re close to black. Search online for: Syringa x hyacinthiflora ‘Dark Night,’ Syringa vulgaris ‘Arch McKean,’ and Syringa vulgaris “Yankee Doodle”
If you’re looking for a similar bush with deep purple, almost black flowers, search online for Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight.’ It’s a butterfly bush but fits your description.
cutting lilac blooms for arrangement
Our lilacs are in mid-to-full bloom right now. I would like to cut some blooms for a table arrangement.
Will this endeavour affect the amount of next year's blooms?
When to Cut Lilac Flowers
Hi Emily,
Cutting lilac flowers now will not affect next year’s blooms. Those buds will form in the summer.
planting lilac bushes
I live in Northwest Reno Nv. when is it time to plant lilacs? Do I have to wait until fall?
Lilac's in my area
I like in northwest Florida area and just lilac's. I grew up in northern Illinois and have always waned to have a bush since I moved to this area. Will they grow and produce there beautiful flowers and smell in Northwest Florida area?
Lilacs for Florida
Several kinds will flower in Zone 8, including Josee and Miss Kim. For Zone 9, try the Beach Party lilacs. I bought Snowy Beach Party this Spring, and so far it's happy. If it continues to flourish, I'll try Rosie Beach Party next.
live in pot
I live in NorthTexas and in I to mail order lilacs. They are to be 24' to 48'. What I am wanting to know is will they be ok if I plant them in a bigger planter temporarily. Also since Tx is a hotter climate, what if any changes should I make in watering, shade or composting?
Thank you for your help and time.
North Texas lilac
The specifics of your question really pertain to the variety of lilac that you’re purchasing. Some are more tolerant than others. Check with the source (the vendor) about your zone and your plant’s zone for compatibility.
Lilac has small buds
My mom planted a lilac bush 20 years ago in the shade near a big pine tree and it had small buds and leaves and It didn't grow well. so last year I move it in the rock garden in front where it gets a lot of sun and gave it lime and compost and now there a more tiny buds forming along the old growth in tight clusters, so my question is will this lilac grow into a big bush again or should I replace it with a new bush.
20-year-old lilac
It sounds like the plant is coming back nicely. Only time—or information on the variety, if you have it—will inform you of it’s future shape. Give is TLC and a couple of years. Consider that transplanting anything introduces a certain amount of shock that it needs to get over. It sounds like your plant is adjusting nicely, so keep doing what you’re doing!
Lilac Bushes;
I would wait at least another year to see if next years Blossoms are bigger; which I think they will be; do not move or prune this bush until "later next Spring"; !!!
planting potatoes according to your calendar
The date given for planting potatoes in Lilburn, GA, according to your calendar, is April at the earliest. That is totally incorrect. Potatoes need to be planted at the end of Jan into Feb. The latest they should be planted is mid-March. Atlanta is far enough south that potatoes die off in July from the heat. They are a cool weather crop, so they need the earlier planting date. This common misinformation causes a lot of problems and failures.
potato planting date
The calendar above (see “Planting Times” with the faded-back grid and word “Example” across it) will give you the proper dates—exactly as you report.
Lilac blooms
Do they drop their flowers like crepe myrtles? Or do they hold on even in wind? Wanting to plant near a pool, but I do not want the flowers or pedals covering my pool every day
Lilac Blooms
The lilacs we had in Colorado would 'shed' a few blooms in a good wind, but for the most part the blooms stay until the seeds start to 'set', and by then they're usually brown and shriveled. The blooms don't have discrete petals like, say, cherry or apple blossoms, so you won't have a scattered petal problem. The leaves are also fairly broad and well secured, they don't tend to drop until fall.
All that said, lilacs do attract bees along with other pollen/nectar eating insects. So having one in full bloom near a pool might get awkward for that reason.
When to stop watering lilacs
We had a couple of 28 degree nights, so I stopped watering; the leaves are a greyish green now and losing some - is that ok?
greyish leaves
The discoloration may be powdery mildew. If you have not pruned your lilac, do it this year after it blooms. This will help air circulation and reduce the risk of the mildew. Or it may be gray mold. This page offers guidance: http://extension.illinois.edu/focus/index.cfm?problem=gray-mold-ibotrytisi
Start over?
We moved into a new house and bought and plated a lilac this last spring/early summer. My husband put it in the ground and did nothing to prepare the soil or take care of the root ball. I’m not sure if it’s gone dormant or if it’s dead, the neighbors lilacs still look lively although the blooms are long gone. Should we try and dig it up, create a better environment for it and hope for the best now or in the spring? Or should we just get a new one and start over? We have hard, rocky clay soil that is not really well drained unless we dig down and create a raised bed.
Lilac Care
Hi April,
We would recommend replanting. Dig up the lilac bush and select a location with well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight (at least 6 hours). Prepare the soil by mixing in compost or well-rotted manure, and then plant the bush. You can add a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch around the base of the plant to help it grow a little more before the first frost, as well as to prepare it for spring. We hope this helps!
lilac has weird disease
I've search all over the internet, but I cannot seem to identify the disease my lilac is suffering from. It has small grey, flat spots all over it, much like mold. These spots come off when I scratch them. The blooms are unaffected by the disease, but I barely have any leaves on the bush this year. I've been treating with a fungicide, but I see no results. Thoughts?
Possible Lilac Diseases
Hi Jeri,
There are a number of possibilities: It could be Anthracnose, which first appears on lower, older leaves with defoliation progressing upwards; powdery mildew appears in whitish-gray mold patches on leaves and twigs; botrytis gray mold thrives in cool, moist conditions, causing decay of foliage; black spot also thrives in moist conditions, causing defoliation from black spots on leaves. Continue treatment with fungicide, but it may not help. Once foliage drops in fall, carefully rake up and remove all leaves: All of these diseases can overwinter in dead leaves.
lilac and silver birch trees evergreen
i moved into this prop 15months ago i am 80 yrs old but need to get my garden back and front done i need little or no maintenance so need to know if these are evergreens . and what else could you advise me to plant . thank you mrs leek
Lilacs
Most lilacs you may know are deciduous shrubs. If you’re looking for an easy evergreen, consider planting yews or boxwood, A deciduous shrub that keeps its green leaves is the rhododendron.
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