When you first see lilacs in front of your eyes, what do you think? It’s natural green leaves and white or pink colored shrubs which refresh your mind within a minute. Another thing to remember about Lilac is their fragrance. Their odor leaves you to feel the atmosphere around this natural treasure. There are different types of Lilac you can find, especially in the Midwest and northern states. Below you will find out all the classification of lilac tree and how to maintain them properly for gardening. At first, we will clear up confusion about lilac.
You will find varieties of Lilac trees in nature. But there is confusion whether lilacs are trees or shrubs. The main thing is that the difference between shrubs and trees don’t persist. Trees mainly become taller, and huge trees look like a ‘tree lilacs.’ On the other hand, many lilacs have a little trunk and look like small shrubs or bushes. So, many experts classify lilacs as shrubs or bushes.
Lilac Tree: Variations& Individual Characteristics
There are lots of variations and types in Lilac trees. Experts have crossbred 28 varieties of Lilac. It was much extensive that experts often find it difficult to characterize lilacs. Lilacs have different attributes which makes them unique and suited to your garden and landscape. Here are some of the lilacs types, characteristics, and variations which you may consider for your garden.
Common lilac/ Syringa vulgaris
This lilac is the most well-known among people. In mid-spring common lilac blooms and grow up to 10 feet. This specific fragrant flower features purple blooms which get edged in white. Often you will see these types of flowers turn to solid white lilac. Check out its characteristics below-
Characteristics
- Common lilac have purple blooms
- Often becomes the height about 20 feet
- Widely seen in western and northern Europe
Popular Varieties
There are some popular varieties of common lilacs. Lilacs have very few variations, but you can identify them depending on their color, shrubs, and blooms and how much they can grow. Here you will find some popular varieties of common lilac and their characteristics.
President Grevy
This is a French lilac type flowers which usually blooms in mid-day. Its blooms are lilac-blue and sweetly fragrant. Many use this kind of lilac as paintings.
Characteristics
- Blooms grow up to 10 inches long
- Its shrubs form with multi-stemmed plant
- Plants grow up to 10 to 12 feet long
Beauty of Moscow
Beauty of Moscow is a Russian lilac, and with its delicate pink buds, it spreads fragrance on surrounding area. It generally gets 10 to 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide.
Characteristics
- It creates a beautiful variety of shrub
- It has Delicate white colors with fragrance
President Lincoln
This kind of common lilac is very fragrant and generally opens in mid-spring. This lilac’s shrub grows 22 feet tall and wide.
Characteristics
- This Lincoln Lilac is rich in fragrant
- It produces basal shoots
- It forms flower thicket
Charles Joly’ Lilac/ Syringa vulgaris ‘Charles Joly’
This lilac was first to come out in 1896, and it is widely popular today. It is one of the best French hybrids till to this day. It has a strong fragrance with a distinct bud color. Use this plant as your paintings as it has unique screen quality. Plants grow 10 to 12 feet tall.
Characteristics
- Its bud color is deep purple
- It is double magenta-hued blooms
‘Ludwig Spaeth’ Lilac
This beautiful type was first to come out and appears in 1883. It still is one of the best purple lilacs you can find. Usually, it will grow early in summer while extending the blooming season.
Characteristics
- One of the best-colored lilacs in all types
- It usually grows up to 10 to 12 feet tall
‘Mme. Lemoine’ Lilac
Many of the French lilacs first introduced and recognized by Plantsman Victor Lemoine. He named this particular lilac as ‘Mme. Lemoine’ after his wife. This flower usually appears in mid-spring.
Characteristics
- It contains double blossoms with fragrant quality
- These lemony lilac plants grow 8 to 10 feet tall and wide
So, you want to grow lilac?
You can find various lilacs with different colors and variations. The most common lilac is Syringa vulgaris, which generally blooms in the northern states in late May. You will find other lilacs in early, mid and late-season which grow steadily and blooms for at least six weeks.
If you want to grow lilac, there are several things you need to consider at first. The condition of the climate, soil, light, and temperature are the factors; you should feel at first to grow lilac in your garden.
Choosing the location
The area should get appropriate to grow lilacs in fertile humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil. Select the site where your lilac will get enough sun. If lilacs don’t get enough sun, it will not bloom well, and enough draining of water needed to bloom flowers.
Soil
Try testing your soil and results will reveal. Test pH of your land which is neutral to alkaline at a pH level of near 7.0. If your soil condition gets poor, enrich your soil by adding compost. Test your soil for phosphorus, lime, potassium, salts, soil texture and more. Ensure proper testing of your soil to reveal insects, diseases or chemical reactions. Lilacs love to grow in rich soil. If your soil becomes acidic, adding garden lime will recover the soil alkaline.
Water
Water plays a vital role in planting and growing lilacs. You need a proper drainage system to grow lilac in your garden. The drainage system will allow the garden to put away the extra amount of water. Lilacs do need water, but you need to make sure that water doesn’t get flooded in the garden.
Light
Proper sunlight access is a recommendation for your garden. At least 6 hours of full sun is mandatory for your garden. If lilacs don’t get enough sun, it will not grow and bloom well enough.
Fertilizers
Apply a layer of compost under the lilac plant and apply mulch to hold the moisture and weeds. If lilac gets over fertilized, it will not bloom. After lilac bush starts blooming, spread some lime around the base, and you can spread manure as well.
Planting
The planting hole should get deepened enough to place the plant’s root. Place the top of root with the surface of the hole. When you are planting lilac filling with soil, you should focus on providing water thoroughly. During the first couple of years, it’s important to water lilac frequently. In dry weather, water more than usual.
Maintenance
Lilac trees require maintenance. Lilac can endure drought and survive. When you see rainfall, make sure you water the plants once in a month. Lilacs will produce flowers on growth that is at least three years old; pruning will make it much faster. Another thing is sunlight. Make sure your garden gets enough sun access and don’t get shaded trees nearby. Still, your lilac can grow, but it will bring a smaller number of blooms.
Pruning
At first, cut the flowerheads within a month. After bloom will help the plant focus on preparing more flowers buds. If your lilac becomes taller than common lilac, then consider cutting some branches. Cut the main stems to 10 to 15 inches from the soil. This makes the branches grow even more. Follow this pruning procedure for three years, and it will make the bloom more refreshed.
Deadheading
Deadheading will provide you with new flowers and leaf buds. Deadhead helps your plant to grow new flowers and make your plant look better. Deadheading is nothing but the removal of dead flowers from your plants.
Diseases & Pests
Lilacs are prone to get attacked by slugs and snails. Slugs are very much damaging garden pests which will make your lilac grow fewer flowers and leaves.
Powdery white mildew will appear hot summer weather. This kind of powdery substance will make your lilac garden look less colorful and unattractive. Sometimes you may get unsighty; in fact, it does not harm your lilac.
Dealing with lilac bushes
Lilac bushes are very fragrant. It offers charming and pleasant surroundings in your garden. But Lilac bushes may get invasive in your yard, and you can’t recover from the situations easily. Read more information about lilac bushes to remove this once and for all.
- Shoots grow from the roots parallel with the surface of the soil
- Bush regrows plants from root section, so, cut down the bush at ground level
- You can remove bushes by watering the ground around the plant
- Watering the ground will loosen soil and will make the bushes come out
- You can try pulling the roots by hand or use shovel to remove the whole rootball
- You can use the tractor to pull out the plant’s root system
- Make sure to remove the entire lilac bushes; else any single piece will resprout
- You can cut the shrubs and apply Glyphosate on the cuts to kill the roots
Uses of lilacs
Lilacs have various usages. You can use lilac as your various purpose, and it is a good health beneficiary for your needs. When you lack ideas about giving a gift to a friend, if you have a lilac garden then you can use it to give a surprise. Lilac is largely beneficial for your health issues. Below I am providing you with some basic usage of lilacs.
Lilac as a decorative element
Lilacs have many different colors and shapes. You can use lilac as a decorative item. You can use lilacs to give a present to your friend. Choose mixed bouquets and add lilac to use as a featured gift, create card covers and even you can decorate your cake toppers.
As a cut-flower
Using lilac as cut flowers to increase the fragrance is a great way to have a great odor. To have the great odor you need to cut the stems in the morning when flowers are barely open. By cutting stems under water and removing leaves, you will get spoil water in the vase. Pour lime soda and water in the vase. This will last longer cut-flowers.
As a culinary ingredient
Lilac has plenty of usage in culinary ingredients. You can crystallize them and later use as a decorative item in cookies, pies and cakes, rice dishes, and fresh green salads. You can also mix lilac blossoms with honey and also mix with yogurt to create a stylish dessert. Create a special drink by mixing sugar and water with lilac flowers.
Uses as a fragrance
Using lilac as a fragrant is a common thing as lilac itself is a fragrant flower. You can use lilac to create a special odor in your home, washroom and use this in the bathtub to have a nice and refreshing bath. You can mix lilac in soap or scrub to use in the shower.
Uses as a tool for animals
You can use lilac as an attracting tool for animals. Lilac lures birds by creating natural nesting, and they feel safer from other animals and this cause birds to feed on insects as insects grow many in numbers on lilac trees and bushes. Butterflies also work to help pollinate other garden plants. You can also use lilac as a distracting tool. If deer are the problem in your area, then use the lilac plants around your garden to distract them.
Health benefits of lilacs
Lilac Blossom Almond Scones
Discuss the different health benefits of lilac trees. Discuss all the possible and anticipated benefits of it.
Aromatherapy
Lilac is valuable for your health issue. Lilac oil is one kind of health beneficiary. It is aromatherapeutic oil which proves to remove your depression and anxiety. Its soothing fragrance takes you to the next zone of comfort level. It relaxes your body and mind by the aroma of the oil.
Medicinal Uses
Lilac has been using medicinally for centuries. It has used in treatment for malaria and fever. It was first introduced in colonial America as a vermifuge which is the threat for intestinal worms. Also, lilac is using an oil treatment which recovers your skin problems and minor injuries.
Lilac essential oil
The medical use of lilac first introduced in the 19th century. You might be thinking how a flower can have medicinal values! It used as intestinal worms’ removal as well as anti-periodic medicine which prevent you from falling in a particular disease over and over.
Lilac oil is widely using to recover from different diseases. It uses to treat rashes and sunburn, skin treatment, scrapes, minor injury, and scrapes. Here are some benefits of lilac oil-
- Oil is using to remove stomach related issues and intestinal worms
- It fights against bacterial and fungal infections
- It helps reducing age lines, wrinkles on your skin
- It prevents and treats malaria
Making lilac oil
Now, we will see how you can make lilac oil-
- Get some fresh lilac flowers
- Place the blossoms on top while lining a bowl with food protector cloth
- Get two cups of water while making sure flowers submerged properly
- Keep it overnight by covering the bowl
- Later on, the next day, pull the corner part of cloth together
- Then keeping flowers in the center, twist it into a packet
- Tie it with a string
- Let lilac water to boil before lilac water should bring into a vessel
- Put sachet in water and let the water boil for an hour and cool it
- Pour water in a bottle and add five drops of glycerin
- Shake well before use
Benefits
- Lilac essential oil is the Treatment for vermifuge
- Found Astringent properties; it is a great skin tightening agent and toner
- Lilac oil removes you anxiety
- It’s great for skin treatment
- Lilac oil is a strong antibacterial agent
Side effects of lilac oil
Lilac oil is beneficial for your health. But there are some side effects of using regular lilac oil. The skin may turn itchy and even using oil may develop rashes and experience different symptoms. You may need to stop using oil for a longer time.
Bonus: A few recipes for you!
Lilac is a sweet and fragrant flower. If you walk by the side of the road and spot a lilac tree aside, you will undeniably get lost in its colorful and elegant features. But the thing is lilac can do something even more than you expect. You can have recipes by lilac blossoms. It is unusual, but you will love to see the result later. So, here are some lilac recipes for you-
Simple Syrup
Lilac syrup is a kind of dish which you can use in wide variety of dishes. Below I’m going to show you how to prepare this recipe-
Ingredients
- A cup of water
- A cup of sugar
- A cup of lilac flower buds
Preparation
- Put sugar and water on the stove until it dissolved
- Put a cup of lilac flower in water and sugar
- Heat it for 10 minutes
- You can add few blueberries for color
- To remove the flowers, you need to filter the syrup
- Let it be cool and save it in refrigerator
Usage
- You can use this syrup to prepare tea, cocktails
- You can prepare fragrant juice as well
Nutritional facts
- You will get 193 calories per servings
- Decent amount of carbohydrate to keep you hunger-free
Lilac Blossom Almond Scones
This lilac recipe is special. This is one of the stylish and elegant lilac recipes for your needs.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour, all-purpose
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- One teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
- 1 cup buttermilk, shaken well
- One teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup toasted, chopped almonds
- 1 cup lilac flowers
Preparation
- Prepare your oven and preheat it to 425 degrees
- In a bowl, mix flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Mix it well and Cut the butter into small chops and leave it to dry mixture
- Use your finger, hands and work on butter and flour mixture
- Add buttermilk, vanilla extract, almonds and lilac blossoms, fold altogether in a bowl
- Roll the dough into a ball
- Flatten the dough by hand and cut the dough into triangles
- You can spread some sugar on those
- Put in oven and bake at least 15 minutes until desired color and toastiness comes
Nutritional facts
- Lots of calories per servings
- Decent amount of carbohydrate to keep you hunger-free
Lilac Haze
Lilac haze is another healthy recipe for your health benefits. Check out its Recipe below-
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Botanist Gin
- 3/4 ounces lilac simple syrup
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce Poli Miele Honey Grappa liqueur
Preparation
- Mix all the ingredients in a bottle or shaker with rice
- Shake it well
- Mix lemon or few lilac flowers
Usage
- Use it at a cocktail party or friends union
Nutritional facts
- This lemony and honeyed mixture is abundant with vitamins
Lilac Honey Cake
This is one of the most beautiful and tasty dishes in lilac recipe. This looks incredibly delightful and simple to make. Check out the preparation method-
Ingredients
- Half cup Salted Butter softened
- 3-4 tablespoon of Sugar
- Half cup Lilac Blossoms packed tightly
- 2 Eggs
- Two teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 and a half cups Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- Half Cup Buttermilk
- Half Cup Honey
Preparation
- Prepare your oven and preheat it to 370 degrees and prepare a pan.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, the honey and buttermilk
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and lilac blossoms until light and fluffy
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture with the buttermilk
- Pour the batter into the pan
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes
- Keep in refrigerator for your needs
Usage
- You can definitely use it in any function
Nutritional facts
- Lots of carbohydrate and calories
Conclusion
Lilac consists of health benefits and various uses. Lilacs are very fragrant, and you can have one or two in your yard in the spring or summer. The surrounding smell of lilac is out of the question, and you can use it for great sight views. But the health benefits of this plant are enormous for your everyday healthy life. So, have a lilac garden in your backyard!
