Common Lilac: The How To's on Growing Lilacs

Common Lilac bushes (Syringa vulgaris).

A great way to add fragrance, colour and texture to your garden.

Growing lilacs in your garden will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. That's not to mention the gorgeous view you will have when they are in bloom.

I grow 6 different varieties in my yard including an Ivory Silk Tree Lilac. 

Lilacs in containers

You can grow lilacs in containers but it can be a little tricky. It’s better with smaller, dwarf lilac varieties and also with the tree lilacs. 

If you don’t have the room in your yard but want one of these flowering shrubs, containers are a good option.

Container lilacs are great for:

• smaller gardens
• decks and patios
• balconies
• and roof top gardens

The best pot to use for this would be a clay pot. They are heavier and more insulated to protect them from the winter.  

You can use a plastic pot and wrap it with burlap to protect it from the winter winds. Or you can plant the pot in the ground to help protect the roots during winter. A thick layer of mulch can add more protection over winter.

One thing you don’t want to do is bring your common lilac inside over winter. The part above the ground needs to freeze so it will bloom in spring.

Pruning Lilac Bushes

Pruning your bushes right after flowering is a good way to keep them the size you want them to be.

The flower buds for next year start to develop around July. Waiting until August or later to prune them is cutting off next years blooms.

When pruning your bushes don’t forget to check around the base for any offshoots or suckers. You can remove them or you can wait until they are about a foot tall and dig them up. They will make a great gift for friends and family members.

If you have an older lilac that isn't blooming as well as it use to, there are a couple options you can try. 

• You can prune out one third of the old growth the first year
• then two thirds of the older growth the second year
• the third year prune out the rest of the older growth

Another option you can try is to cut it back hard, about 12" from the ground. The downside of this type of pruning is that it will take one to three years for it to bloom again. When it does it will look amazing, like when you first planted it.

One of the best things about these bushes is cutting the flowers off and bringing them into the house. They will fill the air with the beautiful lilac scent.

 

Common Lilac Varieties

The common lilac varieties listed below are mid to dwarf size. They don’t grow as large as most other varieties. 

Adding a common Lilac bush to your yard will add fragrance, colour and character. They are one of the least favoured plants to deer, so unless the deer is starving they will leave it alone. 

 

Common Lilac Pests and Diseases

Powdery mildew – This is a common plant disease when there isn’t enough air circulation around them. It’s most common towards fall when the nights are cooler but the day is still warm. It looks like white fuzz on the stems and leaves of the plant. Watering during the day instead of the evening will help prevent this plant disease. 

 

Lilac blight – This plant disease appears in spring and causes the leaves stems and flowers to turn black. If you see this happening, prune out any infected areas. Disinfect your pruning shears after every cut so the disease doesn’t spread.

 

Leaf spot – are from different fungus and bacteria’s that affect many different types of plants. Although it rarely kills the common lilac it does weaken them and spreads more during wet weather. You will see small brown to black spot on the plant’s leaves which will get bigger. The blackened leaves will need removing and disposed of into the garbage.  Avoid watering in the evening to help prevent this disease.

Uses in the Landscape

You can use a common lilac bush in many ways around the landscape

• stand alone specimen
• as a hedge along a fence or along the house
• grow it in a large container on your deck or patio
• as a screen to block out unsightly scenes
• you can even cut the flowers and bring the fragrance indoors

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