Lilac in our country is perhaps the most popular type of ornamental shrub. They planted it in the front gardens of small country houses, and next to residential cottages. This unpretentious plant requires virtually no maintenance and perfectly tolerates both severe frosts and drought. There are several types of lilacs. In addition, breeders have recently bred a huge number of its varieties. Read about which of them should be chosen for decorating the yard and how to grow lilacs correctly in the article.
A bit of history
We will talk about what types of lilacs are a little later. First, let's figure out where this plant actually came from.
In Europe, lilacs began to be grown only in the 16th century. For the first time, a French ambassador from Turkey brought her to the Old World. Originally, this ornamental plant was grown only in royal gardens. However, due to its unpretentiousness, lilacs spread very quickly throughout the country. From France, lilacs were brought to Austria and then to England. Later, this plant was also recognized in Russia.
Lilac: types
The most popular varieties of this ornamental shrub are Hungarian, Chinese and Amur lilacs. The first two are not the most attractive. They are often grown in shaded areas.
It is impossible to give a clear answer to the question of how many types of lilac exist in nature in general. Today, several thousand of them are known. There are 30 main varieties that are often used for landscaping yards and streets. Let's consider what features are the most popular types.
It can reach a height of 3-4 m and is considered a good stock for most of the old varieties. Wild lilacs are native to Hungary, the Carpathians and Yugoslavia. There are two garden forms. They have pale purple and reddish purple flowers.
Chinese lilac is a hybrid of common and Persian lilacs. In fact, this is not a variety, but a variety that was bred a very long time ago, in 1777, in France. The most common are three types of such lilacs: purple, pale purple and dark purple. The latter is considered the most beautiful.
Amur lilac
In Russia, in nature, this ornamental shrub grows in the Amur Region, in the Urals, in the Arctic and in Arkhangelsk. All wild species of lilacs in Russia and other countries prefer areas well-lit by the sun. They quickly sprout and are quite decorative. Growing in the Far East and China is no exception to this rule. It is a multi-stemmed tree, naturally reaching a height of 20 m, with a very dense spreading crown. This is one of the few varieties of lilacs that does great when planted next to a body of water. Most often, the Amur lilac is used in group strips for landscaping cities and towns.
There are other, less common, but also quite beautiful types of lilacs: drooping, small-leaved, Preston, etc.
Lilac varieties
Breeders were actively involved in this ornamental shrub. You already know what types of lilacs there are. Let's see what popular varieties of this plant exist. At the moment, a fairly large number of them have been withdrawn. When choosing the most suitable summer residents and owners of suburban residential houses, they usually focus on the color of the panicles. The most common varieties with purple flowers are:
- Vesuvius. This is a lilac with purple-red panicles 8x18 cm and a pronounced aroma. The flowering of this variety is moderate, and the bush is not too tall and compact enough.
- Violetta is a lilac with deep purple double and semi-double large flowers. The bushes of this variety of lilac grow very high.
- Cavour. It is one of the darkest purple varieties. Its inflorescences are very large, wide-pyramidal, reaching a length of 24 cm.
The most popular types of white lilacs:
- Vestal. Lilac with pure white flowers, collected in large (up to 20 cm) multi-peaked panicles.
- Joan of Arc. Terry variety with a very pleasant smell. The bush does not grow too tall. Abundant flowering.
- Madame Abel Chantane. Also a terry variety with milky white flowers. Inflorescences can be 24 cm long and 20 cm wide. This short shrub is considered one of the most beautiful at the moment.
Of the pink and red varieties of lilacs, one can distinguish:
- Belle de Nancy. The flowers of this plant variety are lilac-pink, with a silvery tinge, double and very fragrant. This variety works well for cutting.
- Gaya Vata. This variety has raspberry-pink inflorescences, very dense, up to 30 cm long. The bush can grow up to 2.5 m in height. Abundant flowering.
- The beauty of Nancy with a beautiful silvery hue. This variety is considered one of the best terry varieties of this color.
- Sensation. The flowers of this lilac are purple-red, with a clear white border. They have practically no smell.
The varieties and types of lilacs (photos with names can be seen in the article) are very diverse. The panicle color of this plant ranges from very light to dark. Even ordinary purple varieties can have many shades. When selecting, you need to pay attention, including the size of the inflorescences. Of course, the larger they are, the more beautiful the bush looks.
The choice of seedlings of such a plant as lilac, the types and varieties of which are unusually diverse, is not difficult. You can plant lilacs on the site with panicles of the same color or different. In any case, this plant will delight the eye, and in the spring it will fill the yard with a pleasant, delicate aroma.
Reproduction
All types of lilacs reproduce either vegetatively or by seeds. In the first case, cuttings, grafts or layering are used. Varietal lilacs can only be propagated vegetatively. Cuttings are usually cut during the flowering period, slightly coarse. However, domestic gardeners most often breed lilacs with layering. The best planting time is September-October. You can carry out this operation in the spring, but preferably earlier - in late March or early April.
Where it will grow best
Varieties and types of lilacs (photos with names clearly demonstrate the beauty of these plants) are diverse. The choice of meta for the bushes should be done in compliance with some rules.
The soil for lilacs is suitable for slightly acidic or neutral loamy, or sandy loam. This plant should not be planted where they come too close to the surface. It is not recommended to choose plants and areas with too nutritious soil for this. In this case, the plant will not develop roots and bloom. For the same reason, lilacs are not fertilized.
In the northern regions and in central Russia, this ornamental shrub is usually grown in sunny places. In the southern regions, partial shade is chosen for him. If the light is too intense, the flowers of the lilac begin to fade.
How to plant
Planting lilacs is very simple. The seedling should have a root system of approximately 25 cm in diameter. A square hole is dug under it. The length of its side should be twice the diameter of the root system. A little peat can be added to the soil removed from the pit. The seedling is set with roots on the bottom and sprinkled with soil. The trunk circle is trampled underfoot. Next, make an earthen roller and carefully fill the plant with water.
On cloudy days, planting lilacs can be done in the daytime. On sunny days, this procedure is usually done in the evening. Lilacs, species and varieties (photos illustrating the article confirm this) which are actually beautiful and numerous, in this case they will feel much better and will be accepted faster.
How to propagate lilac by cuttings
It is also a fairly common breeding method. The length of the cuttings should be about 15 cm. The lower leaves must be removed from them. The rest are cut in half. Also, the top of each cutting is removed at a right angle. Further, the planting material prepared in this way must be placed for 16 hours in glasses filled with a concentrated aqueous solution of heteroauxin (150 mg per liter). Then the cuttings are washed and planted in the shade in a specially prepared soil. The latter is made by mixing 1/4 2/4 lowland and 1/4 coarse-grained perlite. Previously, drainage from crushed stone (10 cm) and rotted manure (15 cm) are poured into the landing site. The layer of the soil mixture itself must be 5 cm. Sand must not be added to it. Lilac, the species and varieties of which in most cases are very hardy and take root well, has a not too developed root system. Cuttings will not hold well on the sand.
The distance between the cuttings is usually 5 cm, between the rows - 10 cm. The planting is carefully spilled and covered with polyethylene stretched over the frame. They begin to air the cuttings in 1.5-2 months, opening the greenhouse in the evenings. Watering is carried out no more than once a week. In the fall or spring of next year, cuttings are transplanted into the yard or garden.
Lilac care
At first, a seedling planted in a permanent place must be watered periodically (as the soil dries up). In rainy weather, it is not necessary to moisten the soil under the plants. The accepted bush will grow on its own. No types of lilacs practically require watering and dressing. The only thing is that the soil in the near-trunk circle will have to be weeded for the first time - until the bush grows a dense crown.
How to trim
All types of lilacs differ in unpretentiousness. Growing them is a time-consuming procedure. Only in the spring, most likely, it will be necessary to prune the bushes - very often the lilac gives two trunks. Such plants do not look too neat, so the second trunk of the bush is usually removed.
The actual formation of the bush is done by cutting off the branches sticking out and growing inward. This operation must be performed in the spring, not earlier than in the second or third year after planting. They also remove frozen branches, if any, and overgrowth.
The second pruning is done immediately after flowering. This time, cut off all dry panicles. If you leave them, the bush will not look too neat.
As you can see, a plant like lilac does not take much time. She practically does not require personal care. Moreover, all types of lilacs are distinguished by high decorative qualities. This explains their extraordinary popularity.
