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.
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 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.
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.
My Miss Kim is mature, bloomed well this year but has small, folded leaves. Location is Massachusetts. Concerned with fragile look. Any advice is welcome. Hate to lose this gem over the winter. I fertilized it in Spring and now in August. Too much? Thanks very much.
Mike,
I’m not sure it was too much fertilizer but if the damage happened after you fertilized it could be. I rarely if ever fertilize plants in my landscape. Could be some kind of bug sucking on the leaves.
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!
Joe,
It’s possible. When the plants are dormant you can try digging them out and raising them a couple of inches.
I live in zone 10 (Naples FL), is anyone having success with Miss Kim in this zone?
Joe,
I really don’t know.
My healthy Miss Kim has many small sproutings at its bottom …can these be rooted in any way?
Marie,
they root easily as softwood cuttings. http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
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?
Harriet,
Normal? If that’s what it’s doing I’d consider it normal given the environment that can influence blooming.
How are you pruning it? When pruning lilacs you cut stalks at the bottom and remove. You don’t trim like other bushes. That will affect your blooms.
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.
Just give it some shade and water as needed.
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
Vanda,
I’m sure you can.
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.
Tim,
I’ve never seen male and female lilacs. Not sure what to think about that.
I planted mine last year. , when would I start seeing new growth. Or did it die over winter ??
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.
Can I grow a miss Kim in a container on my deck? I live in Atlanta, Ga.
Probably.
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.
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.
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
Gail,
Thank you for sharing how much you love your Miss Kim Lilac.
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.
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.
Will they thrive in Dallas, Tx. Area. That’s north Texas.
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
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.
Thank you Gloria, great information to have.
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
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.
Is there anyway this would survive in the Tampa area as we are zone 9?
Kathleen,
That’s one zone above what they are rated for, all I can say is give it a try.
Where can I purchase a Miss Kim Lilac tree. I live in Atlanta Ga.
Joan,
I’m sure you can find it online, probably Amazon, or in our members area if you ask. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
I have found reasonably-priced Miss Kim lilac shrubs at WalMart in both California and in Wyoming and Idaho.
There are several nurseries in the Atlanta area that have them.
Do you know where in Atlanta the Miss Kim Lilac can be found
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
Joan,
It’s a shrub, but it can be trained into an amazing small tree.