For amateur gardeners and landscape designers today there are a large number of diverse plants that help to realize the most daring ideas for decorating private households and park areas.
In this list, dwarf lilac deserves special attention, which is represented by a wide variety of types and varieties.
Table of Contents
Characteristics Of The Dwarf Lilac
This culture is a perennial, which is a low tree shrub. As a rule, lilac grows everywhere but prefers sunny and mountainous areas. Dwarf lilac belongs to the olive family.
Today in nature you can find both wild shrubs, the formation of which occurred in the light of natural pollination, and varieties grown by man artificially.
The classification of crops occurs depending on differences in flowering time, color, and shape of inflorescences, as well as the height of the bush.
Today, dwarf crops are especially in demand in landscape design in light of their attractive appearance and fragrance. Therefore, culture can be found in private house territory and in public parks.
Decorative lilac bushes are characterized by their unpretentiousness in care, resistance to negative external factors, as well as low generative rates.
This plant among many ornamental crops stands out for its individual characteristics.
- Dwarf lilac bushes tolerate temperature drops very well. Today there are varieties that retain their viability even at -40 ° C without the use of covering materials. This characteristic makes it possible to grow crops in regions with severe winters.
- Plants do not require special care after planting. As a rule, agricultural technology is not much different from standard horticultural crops.
- In addition to frost resistance, dwarf lilac is drought tolerant. Some species will be able to withstand a week’s heat without additional moisture.
- In decorative varieties, the vegetative process proceeds rather slowly, the crops increase slightly in size, so they do not need frequent pruning or crown formation.
- The dwarf lilac on the site will act as a natural air purifier since the plant can absorb exhaust gases and various radiation.
Among the weaknesses of the shrub, it is worth noting the low survival rate of young crops, as well as a rather long adaptation after rooting.
The Best Varieties Of Dwarf Lilacs And Their Characteristics
Among the variety of presented species of dwarf lilac, which are sold in nurseries, it is worth highlighting the most popular varieties.
“Meyer Dwarf Lilac”
This variety of undersized dwarf lilac includes about four dozen hybrid crops, a frost-resistant variety is especially in demand in cold regions. According to the description, flowering in culture can last about two months.
As a rule, the variety enters the flowering phase in early May. Decorative culture reaches a height of one and a half meters, the life cycle varies within 100 years.
Meyer stands out for its incredible aroma, thanks to which low and beautiful shrubs are very often planted in city parks. The color of the flowers, depending on the belonging to a particular variety, can be white, cream, red, or purple.
Among the most popular varieties of this species are “Pink”, “Palibin”, “White” and others.
“Superba Dwarf Lilac”
Small-leaved varietal dwarf lilac grows no more than a meter. This shrub is well resistant to negative temperatures, compact plants bloom for about 20 days, and the first buds appear in early June.
“Schoolgirl Dwarf Lilac”
A type of common dwarf lilac, which stands out for its small size. The shrub is very low, as a rule, the height of the plant is no more than 1-1.5 meters. This variety is notable for its lilac color of flowers and resistance to temperature fluctuations.
“Captain Bolte Dwarf Lilac”
Dwarf lilac has an average flowering time, and the height of the tree is around one meter. The culture blooms with magenta flowers and stands out for the abundance of inflorescences on the crown and resistance to frost.
“Madame Charles Suchet”
A variety of dwarf lilac with high decorative qualities. The culture belongs to the blue type, an adult bush reaches a height of one and a half meters.
“Josee Dwarf Lilac”
The hybrid variety, which has a very beautiful and spreading crown, develops rather slowly. As a rule, such trees are not higher than one meter. The culture blooms with purple-pink inflorescences with a pleasant sweetish aroma.
The hybrid is distinguished by double flowering, the first phase begins in the last days of May, the second – in the second half of August.
“Red Pixie”
A popular hybrid with a height of 1 meter, which belongs to the group of re-blooming lilacs. The shrub blooms with large inflorescences of red-violet color, the second phase of flowering is observed in August.
How to Choose the Best Dwarf Lilac Variety?
In light of the high popularity of low-growing decorative dwarf lilac in landscape design, the list of varieties and types of this plant is updated annually.
With a large assortment, it can be quite difficult for gardeners to decide on the choice of a new dwarf lilac for their site.
The advice of experienced gardeners boils down to the fact that it is worth buying decorative low-growing dwarf lilacs exclusively in specialized nurseries or in botanical gardens.
In order to guarantee the choice of healthy planting material, you should visually inspect the aboveground and underground parts of the seedling.
The root system will be able to indicate possible problems and diseases of the culture.
In a good young tree, the roots should not have rot or defects, in addition, you should make sure that the entire root tuber of the plant is intact.
A healthy root system should be strong and flexible with many branches. The permissible length of the roots, the most suitable for planting, is considered to be a size of about 30 centimeters.
And also the variety you like should have glossy buds with tight-fitting scales, the foliage of a healthy seedling will be smooth and green, with a slight gloss on the surface.
As for the selection of varieties, in this case, the choice will be based on personal taste preferences regarding the frequency of flowering and color.
Almost all hybrid varieties and types of dwarf lilac are distinguished by good frost resistance, so crops can develop even in regions with a harsh climate, provided they are sheltered for the winter.
Care Tips for Dwarf Lilacs
Landing Rules
The timing of the rooting of dwarf lilacs will vary based on the cultivar, since a feature of some crops is the need for planting in the spring, other plants take root best after autumn planting in open ground. And also the choice of planting dates will relate to breeding options.
The best neighbors for a low-growing ornamental bush will be the following crops:
- viburnum;
- lilies;
- clematis.
The preferred type of cultivation of dwarf lilacs is cuttings. Varietal hybrids are best planted with seedlings or grafted. As a rule, rooting dates fall on the period from August to September.
For rooting in the garden, the owner of a young decorative dwarf lilac must prepare a hole, the dimensions of which will be 50x50x50 centimeters.
Before planting, the pit should be treated with disinfectants. For these purposes, you can use a solution of manganese or specialized store tools.
And the root system of the culture is also processed, it should be watered with any growth stimulator the day before planting.
Drainage is laid at the bottom of the hole, as well as a layer of sand. It is best to use a specialized soil mixture for planting dwarf lilacs with the obligatory presence of nitrogen for the productive growth of roots and green mass.
The culture is placed in the center of the hole, and the roots are leveled and then sprinkled with a layer of soil. After planting, the dwarf lilac should be watered with warm water, compacting the ground in the hole.
In the first months, a young seedling should be watered regularly, preventing the soil from drying out.
The most important for the proper development of lilacs are the first 2-3 years after planting in open ground. During this period, the gardener is obliged to regularly carry out all activities related to the care of dwarf lilacs. Among the care work, it is worth highlighting the mandatory tasks for every gardener.
Top Dressing
Fertilization should be carried out once every 2 years. To do this, it is necessary to form a nutrient cushion in the trunk circle of lilacs, consisting of horse manure and humus.
And every spring, before flowering, the organic matter must be added to the hole with a bush, but only after the snow has completely melted. And you can also use complex formulations to maintain the growth and health of an ornamental plant.
Watering Dwarf Lilac
Humidification for dwarf lilacs is mandatory in the warm season, as a rule, 15-20 liters per tree per week will be enough for full-fledged watering. With the advent of autumn, watering should be gradually reduced, it should be reduced to once a month.
Disease and Pest Control
A mandatory preventive measure regarding the care of dwarf lilac bushes is the treatment of the near-stem circle in order to remove weeds. As well as a visual inspection for the presence of ailments or pests, all crops growing nearby are subject.
If insect pests or signs of disease are found on neighboring crops, they should be promptly treated with Bordeaux liquid. And also, special attention should be paid to the condition of dwarf lilacs, soil, and neighboring crops during heavy rainfall in order to exclude the formation of rot on the root system. In order to prevent such a situation, soil drainage should be performed.
Dwarf lilac rarely suffers from attacks by pests and diseases. However, the culture can be infected with some ailments.
- Bacterial necrosis – the disease usually manifests itself after flowering in the form of a change in the color of the green mass. In case of illness, the foliage becomes ashen, and the shoots turn brown. To eliminate the risk of damage, it is worth regularly thinning out the bushes, ensuring good ventilation of the crown.
- Powdery mildew most often attacks young seedlings. A sign of a fungal infection is a gray-white coating on the green mass. To treat lilacs, the affected parts of the culture should be removed and bleach should be introduced into the soil, after which the ground should be dug up.
- Verticillium wilt – the disease provokes a fungus, in the light of the appearance of which the foliage curls and dries in the culture. Treatment is carried out using soda ash and a solution with laundry soap.
Among the dangerous pests, it is worth highlighting the leaf and bud mites.
The first species feeds on lilac juices; with an active increase in the pest population, the culture dies rather quickly. Pest control is carried out by treating the plant with copper and iron Sulphate. The second type of pest hibernates on the crop, and with the advent of spring, it feeds on the juices from the kidneys.
You can destroy the insect using specialized store formulations and by spraying lilacs with copper Sulphate. A preventive measure that allows you to protect the crop from pests is the timely cleaning of fallen leaves, and digging the soil.
Pruning Dwarf Lilac
The formation of the crown of the dwarf lilac should occur regularly. Mature crops are pruned every spring. In the course of work, about 8 buds are left on them, the rest are cut off.
And also pruning involves the removal of dead wood. In the flowering phase of lilacs, you can cut off some of the fragrant inflorescences, which activates the appearance of new peduncles.