The French lilac, also known as common lilac or simply lilac, is an easy-to-care-for decorative plant that belongs to the olive family. It shares close relations with jasmine shrubs and vines, privets, ash trees, and forsythia bushes. People have admired its fragrant scent since ancient times. The lilac originally hails from the Balkan Peninsula, made its way to northern Europe in the 1500s, and was introduced to North America in the 1700s, where it was designated as the state flower of New Hampshire.
To maintain healthy common lilacs, one needs to prune and fertilize them annually. These plants are perfect for landscaping and can serve as border plants and hedges. They come in various colors and require at least six hours of full sun per day. Common lilacs like moist, loamy soil with good drainage, and neutral to slightly alkaline pH levels. Although they can endure occasional drought, they would benefit from extra watering during hot and dry stretches. They prefer moderate to cool temperatures in summers and can withstand freezing temperatures in winter, but high humidity and hot climates found in southern United States may not be suitable for them.
Common lilacs can quickly spread through suckers when propagating. To do so, dig around a new shoot, cut it from the main plant without harming the roots, replant it in another spot, and keep it adequately watered until the roots take hold. However, if you don’t want your lilac to spread, trim off any suckers to control it. Before adding fertilizer to your common lilacs, test the soil, identify the specific nutrient needed, and only add it if necessary, as excess nitrogen may harm the plant.
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To maintain the health, size, and shape of common lilacs while preventing diseases caused by poor air circulation, pruning is essential. These shrubs come in various sizes, ranging from 12 to 16 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide, and usually bloom for three to four weeks in late spring, depending on the variety. It’s best to prune the plant after the blooming period to allow it enough time to grow and develop buds. You should remove dead or diseased wood, spent flowers, and stems thicker than two inches in diameter, and prune one-third of the shrub each growing season. Keep in mind that lilacs can be vulnerable to pests and diseases such as aphids, mealybugs, oystershell scales, powdery mildew, bacterial blight, and verticillium wilt, so regular check-ups and optimal conditions are crucial. With a vast selection of colors ranging from pale pink to deep violet, common lilacs can be an excellent addition to any garden.
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Lilacs are a top choice for those looking to spruce up their yards with versatile plants that can serve as both eye-catching centerpieces and effective privacy screens. They make for excellent hedges, and if you have limited garden space, dwarf lilacs are perfect for container planting or small gardens. Another advantage of lilacs is their ability to attract pollinators such as bees, birds, and butterflies, which adds to the beauty of your garden.
To make sure you enjoy your lilac blooms for an extended period, it is advisable to plant different varieties that flower at various times throughout the spring season. Doing so will give you up to six weeks of stunning blooms. To maximize the intoxicating fragrance of lilacs, many gardeners choose to plant them close to areas like patios, windows, or pathways.
