Content
Dwarf lilac, due to its size and decorative qualities, is loved by many gardeners. Almost no summer cottage is complete without this plant. Even a beginner can handle the care, and the variety of colors allows you to create interesting compositions.
General description of dwarf lilac
Low varieties of lilac are perennial deciduous shrubs of the olive family. Their popularity is due to their ability to thrive in different climatic conditions.
The maximum height of dwarf lilac is 2 m, young branches are green with brown spots. After a year, the shoots become lignified. The leaves can have different shapes - oval, egg, heart or dissected. This is determined by the variety. The fruit of the dwarf lilac is a capsule consisting of two oval valves; when it dries, it becomes brown in color. The root system is branched and powerful. A young plant of low-growing varieties gains root strength within 4-7 years.
Dwarf lilac is shown in the photo:
How dwarf lilac blooms
Lilac is popular among gardeners largely due to its small and fragrant flowers, collected in spectacular clusters. Their color can be different - white, burgundy, pink, purple, blue. The flowers are small, have up to 5 petals, but double forms have more. Several small inflorescences are collected on a cone-shaped long panicle. The flowering time of dwarf lilac is the end of April or May. The exact timing depends on the variety and climate of the place of growth.
Benefits of growing
Summer residents love dwarf varieties for their undeniable advantages:
- good frost resistance - the shrub is able to withstand temperatures down to -35 °C and does not require shelter;
- ease of care - young plants only need to be fertilized once every 3 years;
- drought resistance - can withstand up to 7 days without an additional source of moisture;
- slow growth of the bush - there is no need to thin out a too thick crown;
- foliage absorbs harmful substances from the surrounding air well.
Despite all the advantages, low-growing varieties of lilac also have their disadvantages - after transplantation, the rooting process is difficult and long. The bush requires constant care for 2 years. This drawback is offset by the obvious advantages of lilac, which is why its popularity among gardeners continues unabated.
The best varieties of low-growing lilacs
There are many varieties of dwarf lilac, they differ in appearance, which allows you to create interesting compositions. Each gardener can choose a plant that suits their specific needs. Below are varieties of dwarf lilacs with photos and descriptions.
Meyer variety
The most famous low-growing variety.The height of the bush is about 1.5 m, the shoots are brown-gray. The leaves are 5 cm long, elliptical in shape, and have small “cilia” along the edges. Straight inflorescences reach 10 cm. The variety is unpretentious in care, which explains its popularity. There are several varieties of this lilac:
- Meyer Polybin — the leaves are entire or sparsely pinnate, dark green in color, the inflorescences are small conical panicles. Has a strong pleasant aroma. The flowers are lilac-pink with 4 petals and bloom in late spring or early summer. The branches are quite dense, the bush grows slowly.
Low-growing lilac variety Meyer Polybin is shown in the photo:
- Red Pixie - blooms from early spring to the end of June with pink flowers collected in dense panicles. The height of the dwarf bush rarely exceeds 1 m. It thrives in both moderately dry and moist soils.
The low-growing variety of lilac Red Pixie in the photo matches the description:
- Bloomerang Ash - Purple flowers are a feature of this variety. The shrub grows quite quickly. It is characterized by two waves of flowering - the first begins at the end of May, the second in July. The lilac of this dwarf variety retains its decorative appearance until frost, but the late panicles are not so large.
Dwarf lilac variety Bloomerang Ash is shown in the photo:
- Jose - the variety is demanding on watering and loves sunny places, but at the same time tolerates cold well. Caring for lilacs is simple; sometimes formative pruning may be required.
Low-growing lilac variety with the name Jose in the photo:
Variety Madame Charles Suchet
The flowers have a beautiful blue hue, and thanks to the underside of the petals, which are painted purple, the bush acquires brightness and variegation. Wide pyramidal brushes.The plant is not tall, the flowering period occurs in late spring and early summer. The lilac of this dwarf variety is undemanding when it comes to soil, but prefers light sandy soils. More abundant flowering can be achieved by planting the bush in a sunny place.
Variety Monge
French hybrid, grows up to 2 m. The flowers are deep purple in color, and are not prone to fading in the sun. Brushes appear in mid-spring. This variety is often planted in cities for landscaping, also because of its long life span of 30 years. It is better if the soil has good drainage and requires periodic pruning.
Variety Captain Balte
A low-growing variety, grows up to 1.5 m. The flowers are lilac or soft pink with a bluish tint, and have a strong spicy aroma. The brushes themselves are large and round in shape. A spreading bush, abundantly strewn with flowers, will fit well into the design of a small area.
Schoolgirl
Brought to the USSR in 1956. Pyramidal inflorescences are colored lilac-blue. The bush looks like a neat compact ball. The leaves are dark green, the flowering period is average - late spring or early summer.
How does dwarf lilac reproduce?
To preserve varietal characteristics, dwarf lilacs are propagated vegetatively:
- cuttings;
- layering;
- graft.
This method is suitable for propagating non-varietal plants. Each type of this shrub is decorative to one degree or another, so this method can also be used.
Lilac seedlings are divided into two large groups:
- Rootedobtained from layering, cuttings or seeds.They have a longer lifespan of up to 50 years, provide high-quality material for propagation and do not form a large amount of root shoots.
- Vaccinated - arise as a result of grafting a variety onto a wild rootstock.
To propagate dwarf lilacs by layering, shoots from the own root mother plant are used. Grafted specimens are not suitable for reproduction.
Rules for planting and care
It is best to purchase a seedling from large nurseries so that there is no doubt about its varietal identity. Dwarf lilacs are planted in early spring before flowering or in autumn. The preferable period is from August to the end of September. In general, the plant is unpretentious to soils, but feels more comfortable in sandy ones. Good drainage must also be ensured. The place should be sunny and protected from drafts.
The landing algorithm is as follows:
- The area is disinfected with a fungicide or potassium permanganate 3 days before placing the seedling.
- The size of the hole should be 2 times larger than the root of the young plant.
- A drainage layer and sand are placed at the bottom.
- Prepare a soil mixture with biofertilizers or a complex product with nitrogen.
- The pit is filled with warm water.
- The seedling is dug in in the evening, the soil is compacted and watered well.
If all conditions are met, the bush will take root well, but it will take quite a long time to do so.
Growing rules
When growing dwarf varieties, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Carry out timely pruning, most often it is sanitary or rejuvenating.As a rule, it is not necessary to form a bush. The main thing is to remove faded brushes from the bush in a timely manner.
- Every 2-3 years, a cushion of nutrients is formed in the lilac - manure or humus is added. As soon as the snow melts, then organic fertilizers are applied. The height of such a pillow should not exceed 7 cm.
- Dwarf bushes are watered no more than 2 times a week, 15-20 liters for each. At the end of summer, reduce to 2 times a month.
- Despite the fact that the frost resistance of the plant is quite high, for the first winter the bush is insulated with straw, spruce paws or sawdust.
Even a novice gardener can follow these recommendations.
Pests and diseases
Lilac diseases are divided into several groups:
- Viral - mainly ring mottling, ring spotting, chlorotic spotting. There is practically no treatment, the plant must be destroyed, and the place must be disinfected. Protection of lilacs consists of observing preventive measures, which include protection from insect vectors and treatment with special means.
- Fungal - ascochyta blight, anthracosis, alternaria blight, septoria blight, cercospora blight, brown spot. Spots of various sizes and colors appear on the diseased plant, depending on the type of pathogen. Fungi develop at high temperatures of more than + 25 ° C and humidity. For prevention, lilacs are sprayed with preparations containing copper. To avoid disease, dry leaves and shoots must be removed promptly.
- Bacterial - these include wilting and bacterial rot. Occurs in dense plantings. There are varieties with resistance to this group of diseases.
- Mycoplasma - The most common problem is paniculation. Side shoots grow, but internodes do not develop. This leads to the fact that the branches become like small bushes, the plant resembles a dwarf one and gradually dies. Mycoplasmas lead to jaundice, rosette, chlorosis, and small leaves. Preventive measures include the destruction of insects that can carry the disease and disinfection of instruments.
Pests are also found on dwarf lilacs. The main ones: - Acacia false scale - lives on thin shoots and leaves. The accumulation of eggs resembles piles of white powder. The branches dry out, the flowers lose their decorative appearance, and their resistance to cold decreases. A preventive measure is the removal of dry branches, shoots, and thinning of the crown.
- Apple comma scale - a dangerous pest that lives on the trunk and shoots. Lilacs are affected by females and their larvae. The insect sucks out the sap and the plant weakens.
- The lilac moth is a brown butterfly about 1.5 cm in size. Their caterpillars live under the leaves, twisting and destroying them. Digging up the soil under the bush to a depth of 30 cm will help get rid of the pest.
- Rose leafhopper - often found on lilacs, larvae and adult insects drink juice from leaves and shoots. Special drugs will help against it.
- Weevil - a beetle that gnaws leaves. During the day it is not active and is located under the bark, but at night, in the morning or evening, it begins to actively feed. They are destroyed with special insect repellents.
The use of low-growing lilacs in landscape design
Dwarf lilac is widely used in landscape design - it is good both in group and solitary plantings.Sometimes several seedlings are placed in one hole so that they can grow together and form a powerful bush.
The Meyer variety is used for hedges due to its compactness. The plant is undemanding to soil fertility, takes root well and tolerates dense plantings. The dwarf variety goes well with low-growing coniferous trees.
Peonies are often planted with lilacs, the flowering period of which coincides with it. This composition is very colorful and fragrant. A recent fashion trend is to place dwarf lilacs on alpine slides. It is also common among connoisseurs to plant a bush with white flowers in a large flowerpot. In this way you can protect lilacs from a number of diseases.
Conclusion
Dwarf lilac will combine well with other low-growing trees and shrubs. Even in the smallest area there is a place for it. Varietal specimens amaze with their beauty and unique aroma, while wild lilac also looks very decorative.
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