When I think of the Midwest in the springtime, I think of lilacs! Whether it is a whole row of them blooming in the countryside or the lone bush in a neighbor’s back yard, along with freshly mown grass and chirping robins, they bring back happy aromatic memories of the month of May. Appropriate that they symbolize the “joys of youth.”
The lilac is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae. Known as syringa vulgaris it is primarily grown for its scented purple flowers, although it serves as a nice shrub or hedge the rest of the season. Did you know there are 18 varieties of lilacs with lovely names such as: Sensation, Tinkerbelle, Beauty of Moscow, Boomerang, Snowdance, Mount Baker, Declaration and Sense and Sensibility. There are both early and late bloomers amongst the many varieties so, with a little research and proper selection, you can keep lilacs blooming for several months. Their colors fall into a wide range of purple along with several pink and white varieties. They are quite hearty in Zones 3-7 so are a fairly safe bet in our neck of the woods. They grow tall and wide ranging from 5-30 feet high (for tree varieties) and up to 14 feet wide.
Known as the “Queen of Shrubs,” lilacs thrive in rich well drained, neutral to alkaline soil (pH around 7.0) and require at least 6 hours of sun a day to blossom well. They do not like wet feet so don’t plant them where water pools. They are best planted in the fall but spring planting is fine too. You can either purchase established plants at the nursery or try transplanting an offshoot from a healthy plant which may take up to 5 years to blossom fully. When planting, spread out the roots and plant several inches below nursery level planting. I might throw in a little sand to ensure proper drainage and mulch immature plants in the spring and the fall. Also, remember to space your plants properly based on the expected diameter at maturity. Water your lilacs if there is less than an inch of rain a week, don’t over-fertilize and spread some lime and fertilizer around them after their blooming season is over. Trimming, light pruning and fertilizing should also occur at this time. Old lilacs can be cut down to 6-8 inches, but it may take a while for new blossoming. I read its best not to let grass grow around lilac bushes but that doesn’t seem to keep them from blooming well around here.
I had big plans to grow lots of lilacs out here at the lake but have, so far, been disappointed. My lilacs were small when planted, have been very slow growing and haven’t done well at all in several places; one in an area that floods when we get heavy rains and one possibly due to snow drifts. One row planted higher up and closer to the lake have done well so I will hold out hope for them. In the meantime, I am enjoying the blooms from a mature bush in my neighbor’s yard. I would love to enjoy fresh cut lilacs in my home but they seem to wilt quickly. I read cutting long stems at an angle in the early morning, smashing the stems a bit, taking the lower leaves off and using a clean vase, cold water and a flower preservative all help to slow wilting. Think I will try that right now! In closing, I encourage you to stop and smell the lilacs; they only last a short while after which time we must wait another year to, yet again, savor their sweet nostalgic aroma.