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Home » Gardening » Growing, Caring for and Propagating Miss Kim Lilac.

Growing, Caring for and Propagating Miss Kim Lilac.

Updated : February 18, 2020

39 Comments

Miss Kim Lilac

Syringa pubescens subsp. patula ‘Miss Kim’ is an awesome Lilac for any yard. This amazing plant grows tight and compact, unlike traditional lilacs. Yet it is every bit as nice in so many ways.

Compact growing habit and dwarf in size. Most grow to a height and width of 6 feet or 8 feet maximum.

Miss Kim Lilac Bloom. Extremely fragrant!

The blooms come later in the season, beautiful dark lavender to purple and as fragrant and fragrant can be.

Miss Kim Lilac is hardy in zones 4 through 8, loves full sun but does just as well in partial shade. Unlike other Lilacs Miss Kim is very resistant to the dreaded powdery mildew that affects the french hybrid lilacs.

Miss Kim Lilac Flower.

Miss Kim Lilac is very easy to Propagate as Softwood Cuttings. We do them like this; Our Propagation System. I would not try them As Hardwood Cuttings, I’m pretty sure it will not work.

The striking image of Miss Kim Lilac.

An added bonus is foliage that turns a burgundy color in the fall.

Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond.

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Comments

  1. Joe Chadwick says

    September 12, 2021 at 12:06 pm

    I’m in zone 4 in central Minnesota. I have several Miss Kim’s that have stunted leaf and flower growth. The soil is clay, but not overly wet. Do you think that the clay soil is slow to drain and might be the cause of the stunted growth?

    Thank You!

    Reply
    • Mike says

      September 13, 2021 at 8:07 am

      Joe,

      It’s possible. When the plants are dormant you can try digging them out and raising them a couple of inches.

      Reply
  2. Joe says

    June 4, 2021 at 8:30 am

    I live in zone 10 (Naples FL), is anyone having success with Miss Kim in this zone?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      June 5, 2021 at 7:54 am

      Joe,

      I really don’t know.

      Reply
  3. ,Marie says

    August 31, 2020 at 1:12 pm

    My healthy Miss Kim has many small sproutings at its bottom …can these be rooted in any way?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      September 1, 2020 at 7:06 am

      Marie,

      they root easily as softwood cuttings. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/

      Reply
  4. Harriet says

    May 14, 2020 at 12:57 pm

    I have a Miss Kim that has survived a lot I put a new house in twenty years ago and the guys doing excavating around my property covered it over with dirt. Luckily not very deep. I thought they had dug it up but I found it and replanted it. It was small then and a new little plant that a friend had given me for my birthday the year before. The plant then took off growing like it I hadn’t seen it do before and it is now about eight feet tall. The only thing that confuses me is that it will bloom really full one year and next year it has only half or less as many blooms. A friend of mine says the one she has does the same, I this normal?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      May 15, 2020 at 9:14 am

      Harriet,

      Normal? If that’s what it’s doing I’d consider it normal given the environment that can influence blooming.

      Reply
  5. Carol says

    May 11, 2020 at 1:31 pm

    Hi…I just received a Kim lilac Bush
    for Mothers Day thru 1-800 flowers. The plant is in trouble…brown edged leaves, curling under and full. This started
    happening a few days after receiving. How could I restore it. Ps
    have a green thumb..but. not sure in this one. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      May 12, 2020 at 8:19 am

      Just give it some shade and water as needed.

      Reply
  6. Vanda says

    April 30, 2020 at 2:29 pm

    Hi Mike,

    Thank you for your video.

    Can I propagate bougainvillea following your “A Simple Way To Root Plants From Cuttings” video?
    I live in zone 9 Northern California..

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Mike says

      May 1, 2020 at 8:17 am

      Vanda,

      I’m sure you can.

      Reply
  7. Tim Vuyanich says

    April 26, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    I have 2 I got about 6-7 years ago. they are starting to flower now, instead of later in the year, as is everything that should not be flowering out for another month. the cool weather is not slowing them down. who knows what the plants are thinking. LOL
    when I got the Miss Kims they where taged as male and female, do both bloom? mine do. I have them about 6′ apart from each other.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 27, 2020 at 8:21 am

      Tim,

      I’ve never seen male and female lilacs. Not sure what to think about that.

      Reply
  8. Wanda Milam says

    April 10, 2020 at 3:02 pm

    I planted mine last year. , when would I start seeing new growth. Or did it die over winter ??

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 11, 2020 at 9:09 am

      Wanda,

      That depends on where you live. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.

      Reply
    • Kim says

      May 5, 2021 at 5:07 pm

      Can I grow a miss Kim in a container on my deck? I live in Atlanta, Ga.

      Reply
      • Mike says

        May 6, 2021 at 7:37 am

        Probably.

        Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    April 7, 2020 at 11:39 am

    I have a mature Miss Kim (approx. 10 years old) that I would like to try dividing. Is it possible to split the root ball of a Miss Kim? Has anyone had success doing this? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 7, 2020 at 4:38 pm

      This is very much unlikely to work. Lilacs are single crown plants, especially Miss Kim. And now it’s probably too late to even dig it unless you’re in a colder zone.

      Reply
  10. Gail Warfel says

    March 22, 2020 at 11:48 am

    I enjoy all your posts and have for years…I have a Miss Kim and love it.. It smell so fantastic. I live in Northern Indiana almost to the Michigan line and it is doing great. Just felt like putting in my 2 cents.. Everyone be safe out there. Warmer weather is on it’s way. Thank you Mike

    Reply
    • Mike says

      March 23, 2020 at 8:09 am

      Gail,

      Thank you for sharing how much you love your Miss Kim Lilac.

      Reply
  11. Kristen says

    March 10, 2020 at 1:13 am

    Hi, I’m just wondering why you think they wouldn’t work as hardwood cuttings? I was thinking of trying to propagate a few different lilac varieties (including my Miss Kim) but your comment has me second guessing myself.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      March 11, 2020 at 9:32 am

      Kristen,

      There are plants that are very easy to root as hardwood cuttings and there are many that will never work that way. I’ve never known anybody to root a lilac as a hardwood cutting. Over bottom heat? Possibly I guess. But still, I’ve never seen it done.

      Reply
  12. Frannie says

    March 7, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    Will they thrive in Dallas, Tx. Area. That’s north Texas.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      March 8, 2020 at 8:20 am

      Frannie,

      Check to see what zone you are in, they do fine up to zone 8.

      Zone map for the United States:
      http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

      Zone map for Canada:
      http://nlwis-snite1.agr.gc.ca/plant00/index.phtml

      Reply
    • Gloria says

      March 8, 2020 at 1:36 pm

      I have one growing in my yard in the Casa Linda area of Dallas for the past 5 years. So yes they do grow in Dallas, Tx.

      Reply
      • Mike says

        March 9, 2020 at 7:21 am

        Thank you Gloria, great information to have.

        Reply
  13. Deanna R says

    March 7, 2020 at 2:17 pm

    You state Miss Kim is dark purple to lavender. In searching, Miss Kim looks
    very pale to almost white. Where can I buy a darker (..purple) version of this plant? Many thanks for all you do. Always enjoy your emails .. your family ..and your darling donkeys. God Bless. Deanna

    Reply
    • Mike says

      March 8, 2020 at 8:21 am

      Deanna,

      If you want a dark purple lilac you’ll have to go with another variety, most likely a French hybrid that will grow much larger. Miss Kim is often available in our members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, simply by asking who might have a few to sell.

      Reply
  14. Kathleen Neubauer says

    March 7, 2020 at 10:31 am

    Is there anyway this would survive in the Tampa area as we are zone 9?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      March 8, 2020 at 8:22 am

      Kathleen,

      That’s one zone above what they are rated for, all I can say is give it a try.

      Reply
  15. Joan Hawk says

    February 23, 2020 at 2:51 pm

    Where can I purchase a Miss Kim Lilac tree. I live in Atlanta Ga.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      February 24, 2020 at 8:07 am

      Joan,

      I’m sure you can find it online, probably Amazon, or in our members area if you ask. http://backyardgrowers.com/join

      Reply
      • Debbie says

        March 7, 2020 at 10:56 am

        I have found reasonably-priced Miss Kim lilac shrubs at WalMart in both California and in Wyoming and Idaho.

        Reply
    • Roy Ross says

      March 7, 2020 at 1:37 pm

      There are several nurseries in the Atlanta area that have them.

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        March 9, 2020 at 5:52 pm

        Do you know where in Atlanta the Miss Kim Lilac can be found

        Reply
    • Joan Hawk says

      March 10, 2020 at 6:43 pm

      All the Miss KIm Lilac on Amazon refer to it ass a bush or shrub. Are there both shrubs and trees or do you have to train it into a tree

      Reply
      • Mike says

        March 11, 2020 at 9:28 am

        Joan,

        It’s a shrub, but it can be trained into an amazing small tree.

        Reply

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