Grow a Fragrant Bouquet of Lilac Flowers

Well-known in gardens all over the world for its fragrant bouquet, how the purple, white and pink lilac flowers first came to Europe from the mountains of Asia is a matter of some debate.

Some believe they were brought to Europe around 1560 by Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, an Austrian diplomat posted to the Ottoman Empire (modern day Turkey). Busbecq is said to have passed slips of Syringia vulgaris to the Flemish botanist, Carolus Clusius, best known for his work in tulip breeding. Clusius, in turn, passed cuttings of lilac flowers on to other botanists of the time.

But others point to the fact that the first European mention of lilacs in print did not occur until 100 years later and that lilacs are never mentioned in any writings of Shakespeare that date in the late 1500s. This group believes that lilacs were brought to Europe around 1600 by botanist, John Tradescant the elder.

What is known is that lilacs arrived in the Americas in the 18th century, brought over as slips from English gardens. Today, from the original 26 wild species in eastern Asia and southern Europe, breeders have developed more than 1,600 varieties of the fragrant flowering shrub. The largest lilac collection in the world is housed at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Cultivating Lilac Flowers

Thriving stands of lilac marking where old homesteads once stood are testimony to the durability and hardiness of these flowering shrubs. It may take two to four years for a lilac to mature enough to bloom, but once established they can survive for a hundred years or more with little care.

However, without their scented flowers, lilacs are unremarkable shrubs. So, to ensure bountiful fragrant bouquets of flowers, lilacs need full sun and well-drained soil. Too little sun and blooms will be sparse or not at all.

Working in a generous amount of compost and peat into the planting hole will balance soil conditions to ensure brighter colours and more fragrant flowers. Avoid adding nitrogen supplement to the soil, since nitrogen encourages leaf growth over flowers.

Common or French lilacs, Syringa vulgaris, do well in USDA zones 4-7, while the hardier Preston Lilacs, Syringa x prestoniae, bloom vigorously up to zone 2, and Asian lilacs can withstand the high temperatures of zone 8 and some parts of zone 9.

Depending on the variety, lilacs bloom from mid-May to mid-June. Blooming depends on the amount of sun and warmth the plants receive. They may be delayed by a cool wet spring.

Regular Pruning for Lush Lilac Bouquets

Regular pruning, done properly, will keep a lilac bush in fine blooming condition every spring.

It is important to remember that lilac flower buds form during the summer before they bloom. So, pruning done mid-summer to autumn, will likely remove the buds and flowering will be sparse or non-existent next year.

For regular maintenance, remove the spent blossoms before they form seeds. Prune the flowering stem back to a set of leaves and the new flowering stems for next year will grow from the junction.

To rejuvenate an old lilac bush, begin by removing branches that are dead, damaged or diseased. Then cut away up to two-thirds of the oldest and largest stems at ground level. Clean out all but a dozen of the young sucker branches and then cut the remaining branches back to a healthy set of leaves. Depending on the state of the bush, flowering may be delayed by a year, but will reward the wait with a burst of colourful fragrant flowers the following season.

Source

Montreal Botanical Gardens