Tips for Growing Lilacs
Lilacs are one of those plants that people either love or hate. Gardeners have been growing lilacs for centuries, not only because of the show-stopping spring blooms but also for the flowers’ exquisite fragrance.
Folks who hate lilacs think of them as just a weed, but those of us who disagree with that opinion know that growing lilacs is a labor of love. Lilac-haters just misunderstand these lovely plants.
Whenever someone tells me that they hate lilacs, their reason for this disdain is because they think all lilacs send out suckers, causing the plants to spread out of bounds.
While it’s true that the ordinary, common lilac, Syringa vulgaris, does sucker, there are over a thousand varieties of lilacs these days and many of those varieties do not sucker.
Non-suckering lilacs will quite happily continue to grow for many years right where they were originally planted, without threatening to overwhelm neighboring plants.
The creation of all these lilac varieties serves as a testament to the popularity of growing lilacs.
Lilac varieties are quite diverse and range from small shrubs that reach only four to eight feet tall, on up to tree lilacs that can grow up to thirty feet tall.
Most lilac varieties are hardy in Growing Zones 2 through 7, because lilac plants originated in the cool, lower mountains of Asia.
But even those in warmer climates can be growing lilacs these days because there are a few varieties that will bloom in Growing Zones 8 and 9.
Warm-climate lilacs are mainly in the hyacinthiflora and oblate families and they are typically early bloomers, producing their flowers in the cool spring weather.
In Zones 8 and 9, you can be growing lilacs called Anabel which produces pink flowers, or enjoying the fuchsia blooms of Pocahontas lilac, or the white flowers of Sierra Snow.
In Zones 4-8 you might also look for the cut-leaf lilac, Syringa laciniata. This lilac generally grows up to 8 feet tall and blooms in late spring.
Other varieties that are suitable for growing lilacs in Zones 4-9 include Blue Skies which tolerates heat and humidity. Blue Skies produces highly fragrant lavender-blue blossoms.
Lavender Lady is a bit taller than Blue Skies and will bloom reliably in Zones 3-8, while Miss Kim is a bit shorter and is also a good selection for Zones 3-8.
Miss Kim is one of the more popular landscape lilacs these days. Also known as a Manchurian lilac, Miss Kim grows no more than nine feet tall and produces pink buds that open up to ice blue flowers in late spring.
In the fall the foliage becomes an attractive dark red color. If you like growing lilacs but you have a small yard, the compact Miss Kim lilac would be a good choice.
Most folks enjoy growing lilacs for their beautiful flowers, but the plants bloom for only a couple weeks each year. To enjoy lilac blooms for even longer, plant several varieties with different bloom times.
Charles Joly produces it’s deep purple double blooms fairly early in the season, while Chinese or Japanese tree lilacs bloom about two weeks later.
One of my favorite lilacs, James MacFarlane, produces its flowery-scented pink blooms in early to mid-June.
James MacFarlane is a beautiful lilac variety with an unusual scent. This variety does not sucker and it’s a fast grower, quickly reaching its typical height of eight feet, and this lilac will often begin blooming the very next spring after it is planted.
Swallowtail butterflies seem to be particularly attracted to James MacFarlane blossoms, another good reason for growing these lilacs.
While most lilacs bloom in shades of lavender, pink or white, there are also yellow-blooming cultivars available now. Primrose is a yellow lilac that is hardy in Zones 3-7. For a real standout in your garden, add a yellow Primrose lilac to your collection.
Growing lilacs doesn’t come without a few pitfalls, and the most common problem is powdery mildew. Powdery mildew often occurs in hot, humid weather and it causes the leaves to develop a dusty white coating. Powdery mildew is unsightly but it rarely causes serious harm to lilacs.
The foliage can be sprayed with a fungicide two or three times a week to treat powdery mildew, or it can be prevented with a spray of potassium bicarbonate which can often be found at garden centers.
Some varieties of lilacs are more resistant to powdery mildew than others, so if humidity is a problem in your area, consider growing lilacs that are powdery mildew-resistant, such as Miss Kim or James MacFarlane.
If a lilac bush isn’t blooming up to par, or not blooming at all, there are several possible reasons for the lack of blooms. It could be that the plant is not yet mature enough to bloom.
Most varieties will not begin to bloom until after they have been planted for three or even four years. If you’re newly-planted lilac hasn’t bloomed yet, just give it some time to grow up and establish itself. A lilac that has been transplanted will often take a break for a year also before it resumes blooming.
Make sure your lilacs are growing in full sun. Lilacs bloom best in full sun and may not bloom well if they’re being shaded by taller plants.
If a lilac needs pruning, this should be done immediately after the plant has finished blooming for the season.
Lilacs form new buds soon after the flowers die back, so if the plant is pruned later in the summer, overwinter or in the early spring, those flower buds will be pruned off and there will be no flower show the following spring.
Growing lilacs is really quite easy, and by choosing the best variety for your yard, even the most ardent lilac haters can learn to love lilacs.
I live in Macon GA. I have several Angel White Descanso lilacs lilacs that are doing well here. I would like to purchase some Lavender Lady lilacs and othe Descanso varieties but have not been successful finding local retailers or even mail order sources. Can you help me.
Thanks,
Mark Howard
Mark,
The owner of this nursery is one of our very long time members. https://www.hopespringsnursery.com/ She does all kinds of lilacs.
I forget the name , but we have a variety, a small tree (7-8 feet) that reblooms during the summer after a lush first bloom in spring.
I just planted a Josre Reblooming Lilac last November, when I received my order. It did amazing in Spring, but now the leaves are folded in on theirselfs. It is placed where it gets plenty of sunshine. Could it be getting to much water? Or is it just because it is it’s first year? Weive in Utah. Please help, any advice would be great appreciated.
Sincerely, BRobertson
Brenda,
Too much water can be a problem if in fact it’s actually too much. It sounds more like a pest that is sucking on the leaves or a fungal type thing that is affecting the leaves. Beyond that I don’t know.
I have tried to root cuttings from my lilac several times, with no success. This lilac was started from my grandmother’s huge plant. We put it in a spot where it isn’t happy, and I have a better place in mind.
Just today I started again. I took cuttings from the tips, leaving 2-4 leaves, with 2-3 nodes on each cutting. Rooting hormone powder on the nodes, then I put them in cups full of moistened seed starting mix. (Peat moss, vermiculite, perlite and wetting agent.) My thought was that I could leave that soilless mix in place when I replant my new, free lilacs into larger pots. (I want to grow them big enough before planting them in the yard that my husband won’t mow them down.)
Then I found your site. You say they should be in sand, and that I should keep them covered in plastic.
Should I pull my cuttings, dump the starting mix and go steal sand from my neighbor’s kids’ sandbox and replant my cuttings? Should I take new cuttings for the new cups of sand? Should I keep them inside or outside? Is it too late for success this year? (Late June, west central Ohio)
A gardener friend thinks I have left too many leaves. How many should be left?
Thanks for any advice. This plant means a lot to me!
Sue,
Lilacs are tricky at best. I’d leave them as is but do more as well. The medium needs to drain well so it doesn’t rot the stems. The cuttings should be no more than 5″ long with just a few leaves at the top. They need to be covered and placed in a shaded area. See this http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
I live in Georgia. My Miss Kim lilac is blooming but looks leggy (no leaves on lower sections of stems). The leaves are spare towards the top….but it is blooming! It gets full sun, plenty of circulation. Any advice on how to help the poor thing? It looks sad….and I want a happy lilac!
Kelli,
It sounds to me like it needs to be cut back, but the ideal time to do that is when it is dormant. That would be after Thanksgiving.
mike, is there any hope for pruning a mature lilac that has never been pruned correctly (if at all) ? it has had very few blooms towards the top since we moved here three summers ago, and i’d like to know if it can be pruned to produce more.
i’ve also read in the past that you can dig out suckers to replant if you follow the roots into the parent plant, needing to take part of the parents root inorder for it to grow. this was well over ten years ago that i came across this information. i don’t know if it’s right or not.
also, can cuttings be taken from a lilac successfully?
thanks so much for your wonderful website!
Cheri,
Yes, you can prune an old lilac to give it new vigor again. The best time to do that is right now while the plant is still dormant. Cut it as low as you’d like. Keep in mind, there is a slight risk of harming the plant, but it is very slight and you have ask yourself; Is this plant adding or detracting to my yard as is. You can dig out suckers and replant them and no you don’t have to go any point on the parent plant, you just have to get enough roots to support the piece you are transplanting. Do that now while dormant. Yes you can root cuttings in June, see this http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
I don’t think I ever saw a Primrose lilac. My daughter has a double white lilac which I wanted to get a start of it when it gets new shoots. So now I know why – not all lilacs produce new shoots.
Mike my little dappled willow is in trouble. Several branches just dried up, and now I notice a blotchy light peach color scale on the trunk. can you tell me what I can do or if this is a bad problem. I have had it for two years now and it was fine until this Spring. Thanks Judy
Judy,
I’m not familiar with a scale that attacks dappled willow, but that doesn’t mean that there is one. You can spray, but getting rid of scale is not easy because the actual insects that live under the scale bunkers only move once or twice a year where you can actually get them with spray. Try something systemic and see if that works. But I’d consider replacing the plant. Often the chemical controls can cost more than a new plant.
I was wandering if you can take cuttings to root mock orange and lilacs?
Yes you can! Lilacs are very easy to grow from cuttings.
http://www.freeplants.com/soft%20of%20decid.htm
Sand for potting cuttings
Is there a certain kind to use? or Brand or is it a bulk purchase item? I bought some but nothing rooted and I think it hand some lime in it. this is why I am asking.
thanks
Regular play sand. Watch Mike’s video http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2014/07/rooting-cuttings-successfully-in-sand/
I planted a lilac several years ago near the front corner of my house, outside the window of the “computer” room. I thought it would be wonderful to open the window and smell the lilacs. Well, the poor little old thing (5 or 6 years old) doesn’t bloom very well and I’m thinking it doesn’t get enough sun. When can I transplant this poor shrub? By the way, I’m using my “clam-shell propagator” on a dark purple lilac in the back yard, wish me luck.
Deanna,
You can transplant your lilac, but not during the growing season. You have to wait until the tree is dormant, usually around Thanksgiving in the colder zones.
i have a stand of lilacs that have been in 20 years.. The blooms always get frozen here in mid southern Utah. Have the same problem trying to grow fruit. Can you suggest late blooming varieties for zone 4 that might avoid this problem?
The lilac on our farm resides under the old wind charger tower and has flourished for more than 60 years. We always dumped out wood ash from the wood stove around the base.
What is your opinion of the reblooming lilacs that are now available?
Love all your stuff: newsletters, videos, blogs, etc. I have learned so much from you over the years. Thanks!
Gayle,
I’d say reblooming lilacs are well worth the try. I have not grown them.
Hi Mike,
I have a Lilac tree that that I recently pruned per instructions on the internet. I took off the ‘suckers’ off the trunk near the ground, removed dead flowers and branches. Did I do the right thing?
Thank you!
Carla,
You did fine. Any pruning is better than not pruning at all.
Any wisdom regarding the reblooming lilacs, such as Josee Lilac? What are its maintenance and its pitfalls?
A nursery states, “A Dwarf Lilac That Blooms Until Frost! This hardy lilac loves the sun and is just the right size (at 4-6 ft. tall) as an accent shrub or grouped as a hedgerow. Fragrant, lavender-pink panicles of trumpet-shaped flowers are 4-5 in. long and can’t be beat as cut flowers. Even butterflies can’t resist this lilac.” Thank you.
Murray,
I have no experience with it, but I say give it a try.
My lilac bush originally came from my Grandmother’s farm. As a child I remember the scent – a strong sweet smell wafting across acres of fields. That was over 60 years ago & I think of her every spring my lilac is in bloom.
Mike,
Thanks for sharing….much appreciated.
My comment/question is the picture above of the “Syringa Vulgaris” TREE. How does one prune this to have the same results? I will be moving to Ontario, Canada soon and would love to plant many lilacs in the tree forms rather than a bush.
Walt, see this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ3uE6VNYZU
My lilacs are getting top heavy and woody. I have heard of pruning them right down to encourage new growth. What are you opinions on this?
Thanks a bunch and I really appreciate all your tips
Robert,
I’m a big fan of heavy pruning if done when the plants are dormant, after Thanksgiving.
My Miss Kim is in full bloom now. Thanks for the tip. I’ll prune it today!
If a lilac needs pruning, this should be done immediately after the plant has finished blooming for the season, not while blooming.
Thanks